SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft Corp. and Sony Corp. on Thursday said they struck a strategic partnership in which Sony would use Microsoft’s cloud for streaming games and media and the two would work together to develop image sensors.
The deal is in its early stages, with many specifics yet to be determined. But the owners of two major consumer interactive entertainment franchises — Microsoft’s Xbox platform and Sony’s PlayStation — would collaborate to stream games and content to consumers and offer game makers new development tools.
“For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas,” Sony Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement. “I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.”
Sony shares jumped nearly 11 percent as Asian markets opened. Microsoft’s stock closed up 2 percent on Thursday.
Sony’s deal with Microsoft comes at a time when the Japanese firm’s gaming business is losing some steam as its PlayStation 4 (PS4) console nears the end of its life.
Analysts widely expect Sony to launch a next-generation console in 2020 to replace the five-year old PS4, but for this year at least Sony has flagged a drop in profit.
For Microsoft, the deal bolsters its Azure cloud computing business, which helped push its market value past $1 trillion last month. It also helps the Redmond, Washington-based company counter cloud-market leader Amazon.com Inc’s Amazon Web Services.
Amazon has also jumped into the gaming market, offering game makers new technology tools, and with its nearly $1 billion acquisition of Twitch, a major destination for gamers to watch other players competing in the e-sports market.
Japan’s Sony is also a major supplier of camera chips for smartphones and other devices.
Sony and Microsoft said they will potentially develop new image sensor chips that use Microsoft’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology for business customers. The two companies did not specify how the chips would be used.
Intelligent cameras are currently being used in applications such as spotting defective items coming off manufacturing lines with greater accuracy than human inspectors.
Sony and Microsoft said they would explore how to use Microsoft’s AI tools in Sony’s consumer products “to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences.”
Microsoft’s technology for tasks like recognizing images and understanding human speech is widely believed to be competitive with better-known rivals such Alphabet Inc’s Google, but its focus on business customers has left it fewer outlets for technology that consumers touch. Sony, by contrast, makes a wide range of televisions, phones and other consumer devices.
“Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement.
Microsoft, Sony partner on streaming games, chips and AI
Microsoft, Sony partner on streaming games, chips and AI
- The deal is in its early stages, with many specifics yet to be determined
- The two would collaborate to stream games and content to consumers and offer game makers new development tools
King Abdulaziz Airport among world’s busiest after record-breaking 2025
RIYADH: King Abdulaziz International Airport has achieved a new historical milestone, reaching 53.4 million passengers in a single year.
This is the highest number ever recorded at a Saudi airport since the beginning of air travel in the Kingdom, placing it among the world’s mega airports in terms of passenger traffic, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The airport handled a total of 310,000 flights and 60.4 million bags, representing a 12 percent increase compared to 2024. It also handled 9.57 million Zamzam water containers and 2,968 cargo flights.
This achievement reflects the airport’s qualitative transformation and its position as a regional hub and national gateway connecting the Kingdom to the world. It also highlights its role in facilitating the movement of visitors and pilgrims, promoting tourism in line with the goals of Vision 2030, diversifying the economy, and providing a distinguished travel experience.
For his part, CEO of Jeddah Airports Co. Mazen Johar, affirmed that reaching 53.4 million passengers confirms the airport’s high operational readiness and represents a pivotal milestone for moving to the next phase, in preparation for doubling this number, God willing, in the coming years.
He pointed out that this national achievement would not have been possible without the grace of God Almighty, followed by the directives of the wise leadership and the continuous follow-up from the minister of transport and logistics, the president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and the CEO of Airports Holding Co.
He explained that King Abdulaziz International Airport is strengthening its position as a major aviation hub in the region through expansions, increased capacity, and improved services, supporting the objectives of the aviation program and aligning with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The CEO of Jeddah Airports Co. expressed his gratitude to the partners in success from various government and private sectors for their fruitful cooperation through a collaborative work system that contributed to providing the best services.
