LAS VEGAS–After a disastrous year, Sony needs to show that it can still muster some swagger.
From an embarrassing breach in security to continued financial woes, the Japanese consumer electronics has a lot to prove. You can expect the usual assortment of televisions, cameras and some mobile announcements, as well as a continued focus on pushing ultra-high-definition content and products.
Sony’s presentation starts at 5 p.m. PT on Monday, and we’ll be bringing you all the news and commentary from the Las Vegas Convention Center as the Consumer Electronics Show kicks off. I’ll be live blogging along with David Katzmaier, and Sarah Tew will provide photography from the event.
CNET’s live blog of Sony’s CES 2015 press conference
You can figure out what time the keynote will start in your timezone here.
Sony is still reeling from a hack in November that exposed a treasure trove of work e-mails and documents that detailed the inner workings of its studio business and made for embarrassing gossip. Authorities believe North Korea was responsible for the attack, provoked by the controversial comedy “The Interview,” starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.
After national theater chains said they would not play the film, Sony initially decided to mothball the film before political and Hollywood pressure convinced them to release it in a limited number of independent theater and online through services such as YouTube. The movie, which had a budget of around $44 million, ended up grossing $15 million online on its opening weekend.
The hack, however, wasn’t the company’s only problem. Sony posted a $1.2 billion loss in the fiscal second quarter after its mobile division fell off a cliff. While certain units within Sony’s stable of businesses did well, namely its PlayStation gaming division, much of it was erased by its weakness in smartphones, which are presented as premium items stacked up against Apple’s iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy S line.
Sony’s event tends to draw in the crowds, and the pressure is on for the company to wow an audience that has gone through a day’s worth of press conferences. Check back in with CNET for all the live details.