Sony Group Corporation, commonly known as Sony and stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Kōnan, Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional electronic products, the largest video game console company and the largest video game publisher. Through Sony Entertainment Inc, it is one of the largest music companies (largest music publisher & second largest record label) and the third largest film studio, making it one of the most comprehensive media companies. It is the largest technology and media conglomerate in Japan. At the same period, it is also recognized as the most cash-rich Japanese company, with its net cash reserves of ¥2 trillion.

Sony’s timeline

On May 7th 1946, Sony was established by Masaru Ibuka as a radio repair shop. The next year Akio Morita joined him, and they founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Tokyo telecommunications Engineering Corporation)

In 1950, the company created Japan’s first tape recorder, called the Type-G.

In January 1958, the company changed its name to Sony.

In 1960, Akio Morita founded Sony Corporation of America.

In 1975, the company launched the Betamax videocassete recording format. It became part of the videotape format war of the early ‘80s, between Sony’s Betamax system and the VHS format developed by JVC.

In 1979, Sony began a life insurance company as one of its peripheral businesses. In the same year, Sony’s Walkman brand was introduced: the world’s first portable music player using the compact cassette format.

In 1983, Sony introduced the world to the Compact Disc (CD). At the same time, it launched the 3.5-inch floppy disks to replace the then on-going 5.25” floppy disks and became dominant until floppy disks were replaced by current media formats.

In 1984, Sony launched the Discman series, which was an expansion of the Walkman brand to portable CD products.

In 1985, Sony launched its Handycam products and the Video8 format.

In 1987, Sony launched the 4 mm DAT (Digital Audio Tape) as a new digital audio type standard.

In 1988, It purchased CBS Records.

In 1991, Sony Pictures and Sony Music is Established

On November 16th, 1993, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) was established in Tokyo, Japan. It is responsible for the line of PlayStation consoles

In 1994, Sony Computer Entertainment launched the first PlayStation.

In 1998, Sony launched their Memory Stick format, flash memory cards for use in Sony lines of digital cameras and portable music players

In 2000, the PlayStation 2 was released, which has since become the most successful video game console of all time

In 2004, Sony entered into a joint venture with Bertelsmann AG, merging Sony Music Entertainment with Bertelsmann AG to form Sony BMG.

In 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment released the PlayStation 3. It was the first console to use the Blu-Ray disc format.

On November 15th, 2013, Sony Computer Entertainment released the PlayStation 4 in North America

In 2019, Sony merged its mobile, TV and camera businesses.

On 1 April 2020, Sony Electronics Corporation was established as an intermediate holding company to own and oversee its electronics and IT solutions businesses.

On 19 May 2020, Sony Electronics Corporation was renamed to Sony Corporation

On 1 April 2021, Sony Corporation was renamed Sony Group Corporation.

Sony Group Corporation is the holding company of the Sony Group, which comprises Sony Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (Sony Pictures, Sony Music), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, Sony Creative Products, and others.

According to Wikipedia; timetoast