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Forums - Sony Discussion - Sony buys back Cell processing plant from Toshiba; makes a killing

makingmusic476 on 22 December 2010

Engadget

Looks like Toshiba's Cell processor ambitions didn't quite pan out -- Japanese news sources are reporting that the company's selling its Nagasaki manufacturing plant back to Sony for 50 billion yen, or roughly $597 million in US money. Considering that Toshiba originally purchased the semiconductor facility for 100 90 billion yen (then $835 million) back in 2008, it seems like Sony's making out like a bandit here -- and it may have just found the perfect place to build more CMOS chips for its high-end camera lineup, too. Sony reportedly told the Nikkei Business Daily that it may repurpose the facility to produce HD image sensors for cameras and smartphones. What will happen to the chip that launched 40 million PS3s and a graphics co-processor or two? With any luck, we'll find out at CES 2011 quite soon.

If nothing else this implies Sony is standing by Cell, and it's another sign we'll see the architecture return in PS4.



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italo244 on 22 December 2010

or in PSP 2.



mchaza on 22 December 2010

interesting 



Of Course That's Just My Opinion, I Could Be Wrong

LivingMetal on 22 December 2010

So Sony sold their Cell processor plant during a time of server economic downturn only to later buy it back as a price less than they sold it for.  An advantage Sony had when it comes to hardware is being in control of the manufacturing.  Now, they've retained the Cell processor plant.  very interesting indeed.



makingmusic476 on 22 December 2010
italo244 said:

or in PSP 2.


I could see them using a variant of Cell in PSP2, but that would probably make PSP BC a pipe dream.



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Dallinor on 22 December 2010

This is what gets me - Posters mention how Sony are in no position to spend anything or acquire anything because of their financial status.

Yet here is Sony, splashing the cash. Over half a billion too.

Either way, looks like Toshiba made a mistake.



 

Notorius.A.i.G on 22 December 2010

Imagine a PS4 annoucement at E3 2011. Unlikely, but it would be a bombshell.



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ElGranCabeza on 22 December 2010

They should've bought EMI for that kind of money.



gergroy on 22 December 2010
makingmusic476 said:

Engadget

Looks like Toshiba's Cell processor ambitions didn't quite pan out -- Japanese news sources are reporting that the company's selling its Nagasaki manufacturing plant back to Sony for 50 billion yen, or roughly $597 million in US money. Considering that Toshiba originally purchased the semiconductor facility for 100 90 billion yen (then $835 million) back in 2008, it seems like Sony's making out like a bandit here -- and it may have just found the perfect place to build more CMOS chips for its high-end camera lineup, too. Sony reportedly told the Nikkei Business Daily that it may repurpose the facility to produce HD image sensors for cameras and smartphones. What will happen to the chip that launched 40 million PS3s and a graphics co-processor or two? With any luck, we'll find out at CES 2011 quite soon.

If nothing else this implies Sony is standing by Cell, and it's another sign we'll see the architecture return in PS4.


or, they could just re-purpose the plant to produce cmos chips, like the article implies.  



mantlepiecek on 22 December 2010

I think the cell should be used in the PS4 . A much improved one however, they have invested a lot in this so they should use it as much as they can.

And many third party developers are quite used to it so support's not going to be an issue.

And you can see backward's compatibility as well.