The move is unsurprising given Sony's acquisition of Sony Ericsson in October 2011 as part of a strategy to assert control over its mobile operations. With Sony Mobile also based in Japan, Sony will be able to better integrate its smartphones with its PlayStation and other home-entertainment products.
The layoffs constitute about 15% of Sony Mobile's total workforce, Sony said in a statement, and include outside consultants. They'll be spread out through the next year and a half, finished by March 2014. The relocation of Sony Mobile's headquarters will happen in October this year.
Since its acquisition of Sony Ericsson, Sony has worked to reinvigorate the
Despite those moves, Sony Mobile's global market share hasn't yet seen an uptick. The most recent numbers from Gartner don't even show Sony in the Top 10 mobile manufacturers, with recent statistics pegging its share of the world market at about 1.9%.