This Month
How video games got too good-looking for their own good
With a budget of almost $500 million, Sony’s “Spider-Man 2” game exemplifies an industry whose obsession with realistic graphics has begun to cost it dearly.
- Zachary Small
November 2024
How this music tech start-up attracted Sony as anchor investor
An online portal of ready-made music lessons that any primary school teacher can use has won a major investor.
- Alexandra Cain
July 2024
How Apple helped Samsung improve its sound
Samsung has copped a lot of flak for making many of the same design decisions as its rival for its new earbuds. But, as users, we’re better off for it.
- John Davidson
March 2024
Swift, Drake silenced in multibillion-dollar fight over AI
Talks between Universal and TikTok have stumbled over money, copyright and use of artificial intelligence.
- Anna Nicolaou and Cristina Criddle
February 2024
Record labels accuse radio networks of ‘smear campaign’ in fees row
The claims are an escalation of a long-running dispute over how much artists and major labels are paid when their music is broadcast.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
January 2024
Meet the CEOs addicted to Sony headphones – and mandolines
A humble kitchen utensil made the grade in the BOSS team’s conversations with nine leaders about the gadgets they can’t live without.
- Sally Patten and Euan Black
November 2023
Hollywood actors end multibillion-dollar strike
George Clooney and other stars lent support to the months-long work stoppage, which resulted in studios pulling movies and losing billions of dollars in ticket sales.
- Brooks Barnes, John Koblin and Nicole Sperling
Nintendo gets Wes Ball to sprinkle movie magic on Zelda
The games giant scored big with the Super Mario Bros movie. Now it’s hoping for a repeat.
- Sam Nussey
September 2023
Barbie could turn Mattel into a movie powerhouse
The toymaker has 12 more films planned, including one based on its Hot Wheels line that will be produced by Mission Impossible director J.J. Abrams.
- James B. Stewart
Universal Music strikes deal to reshape streaming economics
The world’s largest record company and French streaming service Deezer have agreed an arrangement they expect will lift payouts to professional artists by 10 per cent.
- Anna Nicolaou
June 2023
Apple iPhones enter AI era with new language tools
While Apple’s new virtual reality goggles stole the show, there were still plenty of other big announcements at the Worldwide Developers Conference, especially for iPhone users.
- Updated
- John Davidson
March 2023
Australians would get worse TVs under proposed law, manufacturers say
TV manufacturers have bristled at the idea of a law requiring Seven, Nine, Ten, SBS and the ABC to be first on their home screens.
- Sam Buckingham-Jones
September 2022
Cruise, Bullock say Paramount is cheating them out of millions
Actors and producers in Paramount films say their earnings are below what they should be because the studio receives less from its cable station than other studios.
- Lucas Shaw
August 2022
Stan signs new multi-year Sony content deal
The new agreement comes as competition for content is tight and securing a funnel of premium content is incredibly valuable.
- Max Mason
June 2022
Bezos and Ambani to battle over $8b cricket rights
Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani, two of the world’s richest men, are set for another clash.
- Saritha Rai and P R Sanjai
February 2022
Sony joins game-buying spree with $5b Bungie purchase
Sony is buying video game developer Bungie, the latest major deal sweeping the sector.
- Jason Schreier
January 2022
Be wary of buying the dip in tech stocks
The sell-off in tech shares has provided a window of opportunity for investors, but strategists warn it might be too soon to go bargain hunting.
- Alex Gluyas
Sony launches electric vehicle company to ‘explore’ entering market
CEO Kenichiro Yoshida announced the plans to open the subsidiary, called Sony Mobility, this northern spring.
- Christopher Grimes and Leo Lewis
December 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home sets box office alight
No Way Home is providing a desperately needed jolt for cinemas that endured months of pandemic-prompted closures.
- Brian Eckhouse
July 2021
At Sony, robots are taking over
The Japanese manufacturing giant is ramping up automation of lines making televisions, smartphones and cameras so it can shift its attention to services.
- Kana Inagaki