Sony Corp. posted an unexpected quarterly loss on Wednesday, demonstrating the depth of the problems facing its electronics business and deflating a sense of optimism that was reflected in a recent share-price rally.
While Sony said recent restructuring measures undertaken by Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai are starting to pay off, the company’s eighth-straight quarter in the red highlights the shifting landscape of consumer electronics, as smartphones encroach on traditional gadgets. It also heightens the importance for Sony to crack the smartphone duopoly of Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc.
