Sony's Announcement, the Last Nail in Floppy Disks' Coffin
Floppy disks are on the way out. Nobody uses floppy disks anymore, not when you can put 4GB of data on something that is as small as a thumbnail – something that is not a floppy disk, like an USB or Flash drive, or memory card. With Sony’s latest announcement, the days of the floppy disk are officially numbered.
The Tokyo-based multinational conglomerate corporation, one of the few companies that still produce and sell floppy disks media, has announced that it will discontinue production and domestic sales as of 2011. The company has discontinued sales of floppy disks in most markets – Japan was among the last places where Sony still sold floppy disks.
Sony takes up about 70% of the floppy disk market – which is not doing too well. Due to dwindling demand, the company has decided that as of the 6th of March 2011, it will no longer sale floppy disks domestically.
The world’s first 3.5-inch floppy disk was launched by Sony, back in 1981. Soon after its release, the floppy disk became a widely used media storage device. The floppy disk’s popularity translated into big money for Sony. Just to put things in perspective, the company sold 47 million units back in 2002 (these sales figures are for Japan).
As time passed, computer users moved on to other storage devices that could hold more than 1.4MB. Sales of floppy disks dropped. During the 2009 fiscal year, Sonny sold only 12 million floppy disks. It’s only been going downhill for floppy disks since then. So Sony decided that come the end of the 2010 fiscal year, it will no longer sell the product in Japan.
It should be mentioned again that Sony has long ago ceased floppy disk sales to most of its overseas markets (like the US). It continues to sell floppy disks in India and a handful of other developing economies.
The Tokyo-based multinational conglomerate corporation, one of the few companies that still produce and sell floppy disks media, has announced that it will discontinue production and domestic sales as of 2011. The company has discontinued sales of floppy disks in most markets – Japan was among the last places where Sony still sold floppy disks.
Sony takes up about 70% of the floppy disk market – which is not doing too well. Due to dwindling demand, the company has decided that as of the 6th of March 2011, it will no longer sale floppy disks domestically.
The world’s first 3.5-inch floppy disk was launched by Sony, back in 1981. Soon after its release, the floppy disk became a widely used media storage device. The floppy disk’s popularity translated into big money for Sony. Just to put things in perspective, the company sold 47 million units back in 2002 (these sales figures are for Japan).
As time passed, computer users moved on to other storage devices that could hold more than 1.4MB. Sales of floppy disks dropped. During the 2009 fiscal year, Sonny sold only 12 million floppy disks. It’s only been going downhill for floppy disks since then. So Sony decided that come the end of the 2010 fiscal year, it will no longer sell the product in Japan.
It should be mentioned again that Sony has long ago ceased floppy disk sales to most of its overseas markets (like the US). It continues to sell floppy disks in India and a handful of other developing economies.
