Didn’t think we’d ever see the day that Microsoft and Sony would work together (they were in talks at one time in the past but that fell through) but in a surprising announcement, the two companies will be working together but not for the reason you’d think.
Both companies will explore joint development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services, as well as explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services. In short, this new partnership will lead both companies to create new innovations to enhance customer experiences and deliver more enhanced entertainment experiences for their worldwide customers.
It’s a win-win situation really, especially for gamers as rather than each company focusing on the same technology they can focus on their strengths to make things even better by integrating Sony’s cutting-edge image sensors with Microsoft’s Azure AI technology in a hybrid manner across cloud and edge, as well as solutions that leverage Sony’s semiconductors and Microsoft cloud technology. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.
“Sony is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. We collaborate closely with a multitude of content creators that capture the imagination of people around the world, and through our cutting-edge technology, we provide the tools to bring their dreams and vision to reality,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, president and CEO of Sony. “PlayStation® itself came about through the integration of creativity and technology. Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere. 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. I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content. Additionally, I hope that in the areas of semiconductors and AI, leveraging each company’s cutting-edge technology in a mutually complementary way will lead to the creation of new value for society.”
It will definitely be interesting what the future holds now.
Source: Microsoft News