The entire Japanese electronics industry is casting around desperately for hot new products that will open the wallets of jaded consumers, and Sony Corp plans to establish a new research centre to pursue concepts for new types of product, such as ones that combine audio and video technologies: starting shortly, the new centre will be in addition to the product development carried on inside its 22 or so business divisions, and the basic research carried on in three main research centres; the new product centre will be the company’s fourth basic research arm the other three do research for products likely to come out in five to 10 years; conduct basic research into things like new materials; and work on telecommunications and computer efforts.
