According to multiple reports from Japan, Sony is set to cut 250 jobs and cease production of some of its optical disc products. It’s currently unclear how severe this will be.
The job cuts will reportedly be made to its key manufacturing and research hub for its recordable media business in Tagajo, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Around 250 employees out of approximately 670 will leave or retire from the division. This is due to the declining demand for optical disc formats, including Blu-ray.
The following information was reported by three Japanese outlets, Yahoo Japan, Nippon, and The Mainichi.
“The company will cease developing optical discs. Production will also end eventually. It will continue selling them for the time being,” Nippon reports.
Yahoo Japan said, “The company will also gradually withdraw from the production of optical discs such as BDs. The workforce reductions will affect Sony Storage Media Solutions and Sony Storage Media Manufacturing.”
The Mainichi reported, “The electronics and entertainment conglomerate will also gradually cease production of optical disc storage media products, including Blu-ray discs, according to the sources.”
Sony has been majorly involved in the research and production of optical discs for decades, and now appear to be scaling back operations.
At this time, it’s not expected that Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray movie discs will be affected.
The expected products to be initially affected include recordable media products, including blank discs and disc-based storage products.
Other disc manufacturers will be able to take over the production of blank discs and optical discs.
Speculation suggests this decision could affect the Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray players of Sony, as well as research into optical discs.
The current Sony UHD Blu-ray players were launched back in 2019. Sony has yet to comment on this matter.