Summary
Sony, which has reportedly decided not to take part in CES, the world's largest technology trade show, is drawing more attention than ever. Its decision to skip the flagship event and shift its focus to semiconductor and manufacturing exhibits is being read as a pivot from “technology that shows off” to “technology that supports,” and it has sparked speculation among industry insiders. By holding back on flashy consumer announcements while working to strengthen its presence behind the scenes, Sony appears to embody the turning point that Japan's tech industry is now facing.
Details
At the same time, Apple opened pre-orders for the new iPhone Duo and 18 Pro, quickly stirring premium demand. Orders for high-priced models poured in, once again highlighting the strength of “top-tier consumption” in the device market. In the conversational AI space, OpenAI remained at the center of attention with news about revisions to usage limits and its developer event, and how the service is used has become a subject of daily debate. Responding to this, Anthropic strengthened its presence in the enterprise market with the launch of its latest model and reports about a planned public listing. Looking at Japan, ELYZA, which released a domestically developed large language model, has drawn attention as a “made in Japan” technology, offering a new option in a debate long dominated by overseas players. Yayoi, a leading accounting software company, also refreshed its business analysis features in “Yayoi Kaikei Next” on October 1, accelerating the spread of analytics technology to small and mid-sized businesses. In enterprise IT, Fujitsu announced a shift in its pricing model and has begun exploring a move from traditional license sales to billing based on actual usage. In telecommunications, KDDI announced the end of its overseas roaming service and began reviewing its business structure by reallocating communications resources. In marketing, HubSpot unveiled a product overhaul centered on agent capabilities at its “Fall Spotlight 2026” event, underscoring that the wave of business automation is reaching small and mid-sized companies as well. NEC, meanwhile, successively presented its vision for autonomous organizations and its work in defense and quantum technology, showing that technological transformation is also advancing in heavy industry.
- 1At the same time, Apple opened pre-orders for the new iPhone Duo and 18 Pro, quickly stirring premium demand.
- 2Yayoi, a leading accounting software company, also refreshed its business analysis features in “Yayoi Kaikei Next” on October 1, accelerating the spread of analytics technology to small and mid-sized businesses.
- 3In marketing, HubSpot unveiled a product overhaul centered on agent capabilities at its “Fall Spotlight 2026” event, underscoring that the wave of business automation is reaching small and mid-sized companies as well.
- 4Sony, which has reportedly decided not to take part in CES, the world's largest technology trade show, is drawing more attention than ever.
- 5By holding back on flashy consumer announcements while working to strengthen its presence behind the scenes, Sony appears to embody the turning point that Japan's tech industry is now facing.
Conclusion
Taken together, these moves suggest that Japan's technology industry is shifting from a “race of flashy announcements” to a phase of “implementation and restructuring.” While competition in conversational AI continues to be led mainly by overseas companies, domestic technologies such as ELYZA and Yayoi are beginning to take root in business operations, and major companies like Fujitsu, KDDI and NEC are accelerating efforts to rethink their pricing models and business structures. Sony's seemingly surprising decision also makes more sense when viewed as part of this broader move toward grounded technology investment. The simultaneous progress of consumer-facing buzz and structural reform in enterprise markets makes this moment one that cannot be overlooked in gauging the industry's landscape over the coming months.