Sony has confirmed that it is looking into the possibility of downsizing its operations in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. The company’s confirmation comes after reports from tipster Evan Blass said that Sony would shut down mobile operations in the said regions.
Bad news for Sony Mobile fans in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa: I’m hearing that the company will “shut down its operations and offices” in the region by October.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 27, 2018
Though the statement doesn’t mean that the company will be shutting down completely, but it does hint that Sony isn’t doing well in these regions and might be planning to cut its losses. The news comes in times as Chinese brands enjoy massive growth in the Middle East and Africa markets, according to Counterpoint Research. Chinese brands have seen a 36% annual growth in the Middle East and Africa for Q1 2018.
The main reason for the downfall of Sony has to be the dated design, poor marketing campaigns, along with pricing compared to other phones in the segment. Despite all that Sony still enjoys, a limited loyal fan base, but with this latest confirmation coming directly from Sony hints that it will at least see a major size shakeup in 2018. The company might be pulling off from markets where major flagships don’t do very well when compared to mid-rangers.
A company spokesperson said:
As part of our ongoing measures to drive profitable growth, we are carefully monitoring the market situation and reviewing our business feasibility in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey.