Sony has confirmed its much-rumored exit from the PC business. The company will be selling both its computer division, and the VAIO brand name to a Japanese investment fund, which will initially use the brand only in Japan.
Once the coolest laptop brand around, VAIO notebooks were admired even by Steve Jobs for their slim form factors and sleek designs, and it was to Sony that Apple turned for help in designing its early PowerBook models. Sony, however, failed to maintain its design momentum, and found itself increasingly overtaken by smaller companies.
Steve Job reportedly made an offer to Sony in 2001 to run Mac OS on Sony Vaio laptops. The offer was rejected by the Japanese company.
Sony will also be refocusing its television business on high-end models. The Japanese firm is the current market leader in 4K televisions. Apple has been long-rumored to be exploring the possibility of entering that market.
