Sony: Our focus is on Europe and Japan

Growing smartphone sales in the US and China isn't a priority for Sony just yet

Speaking to Reuters, Kaz Hirai said that he was not ready to focus on the US and Chinese markets with its smartphones. Instead, he said that Europe and Japan are the most important regions for the smartphone maker.

Sony is currently the seventh largest smartphone maker in the world.

Samsung and Apple are the world’s number one and two and dominate the US market, while Samsung and manufacturers like Huawei and ZTE control much of the Chinese market.

The Sony Xperia Z is available in the US, but only on the country’s third largest carrier T-Mobile.

That stands in stark contrast to the UK market where it – and its successor, the Xperia Z1 – are available on EE, Orange and Vodafone.

Sony’s latest financials showed that focusing on Europe and Japan is paying dividends for the company. It saw smartphone sales grow from 7.4 million units in the first quarter of the current financial year to 9.4 million.

The current financial year runs from April 2013 to March 2014.

However, Hirai did not rule out targeting the US with the same vigour it current has Europe and Japan.

“It’s not realistic to try to do everything at once,” Hirai said. “In the U.S. we’ll start gradually.”