Which is more popular in Japan? Panasonic or Sony

[Tellklaus]

In Korea(I'm a Korean) Sony and Panasonic are both really popular. Sony is especailly famous for MD and digital camcoders, and Panasonic , for good CD p.players. But nowdays, it seems like Sony is getting more popularity ....so, in Japan is it the same? ( I mean is Sony more popular than Panasonic)

[tasuki]

I don't know about popularity, but for having put together, written, and tested documentation for Sony (I'm working on a Sony project right this minute and I can't make heads or tails of it), I can heartfully say that I will NEVER buy anything from them again.

[Twisted]

Popularity has nothing to do with quality it seems. I'm pretty disappointed with my Sony equipment too. In the hi-end sector they're ok, but stay away from their consumer-products.

With Panasonic, you also have to take the National brand in to account. That's the Panasonic (or rather Matsushita) brand for household appliances.

And isn't Aiwa currently a Sony subdivision?

I suppose you should have included brands like Denon, Kenwood and Pioneer in this poll too. These brands are quite popular here in Holland as well, so i reccon they must mean something in Japan too.

[NANGI]

Konnichiwa Minasan!

Of course Sony and Panasonic are both really popular in Japan too. But they are not popular in all categories. And popularity is not always same as quality(or technology).

Sony is popular in TV, Video Camera, MD Player and etc. But Sony's telephone is unpopular.
Sanyo's Telephone and facsimile is popular but is poor quality. I never buy Sanyo's Telephone and facsimile.
I bought NEC's facsimile because it is very strong and never broken. But NEC's facsimile is very unpopular in Japan. NEC is popular for computer.
Aiwa is popular in audio goods because was originally Sony's subsidiary company. But Aiwa is not popular as same as Sony in Japan.
Sharp is popular in computer, microwave oven, liquid crystal goods, facsimile and etc. But Sharp's TV and Video is unpopular.
Panasonic make very good products in all categories. But Panasonic is out of the best product in most of all categories. Panasonic TV is very good but is second to Sony. Panasonic microwave oven is very good but is second to Sharp. Panasonic cell phone is very good but is second to NEC. Oh, Panasonic DVD-RAM Video is top share in DVD Video recorder in Japan.:D

I have Panasonic TV, VHS Video, DVD player, DVD-RAM drive. But cell phone is NEC.:D

NANGI

[Maciamo]

Sony is one of the best marketed company in the world. Few brands out of Coca Cola and McDonald are as famous as Sony.
The funny thing is that some Japanese don't even know it's a Japanese company. :D

But Sony's telephone is unpopular.

My mobile phone is a Sony. I think the new Sony-Ericsson are actually quite nice. I don't have the digicame on it (don't need it, I have a real one), but the design is really good (usually make other people jealous with my choice of screen colours) and it's the only one that has menus in English (at least in the AU range).

There are so many more brands than the 4 in the poll (may I add some ?). Aiwa is not very famous and I don't even know Onkyo.

In electronics in general, the leading brands in Japan are NEC, Fujitsu, Toshiba, JVC-Victor and Sharp, apart from Sony and Matsushita (Panasonic). The 3 first + Sony also make computers.

As you are Korean, Samsung is also popular, much more than Aiwa and Onkyo.

[Ami]

I like Philips and Sony. :D

[Maciamo]

Sony is Japanese and on the list, Philips is Dutch and absent of the Japanese market.

[Ami]

wow I never knew that Sony is Japanese! That's so cool. :cool:

[Twisted]

Sony consumer-products put the Japanese electronics market to shame. They've forgotten what quality control means. Probably too many international managers at work there.

[budd]

*faints*

[Shadow]

Really? is SONY that bad? what kind of problems and quality issues are u guys talking about... I'm really interested since I own so much gadgets from them and i'm also planning on getting a Sony laptop later too... (the 505 ultra slim one)

ps: I don't know, i used to work in Celestica, a huge electronics manufacturing services provider, and i find that so much stuff gets out the door with intermittent failures... so the quality isn't that much better either....

[QURATENA]

My experience with Matsushita (Panasonic/Technics) Products has always been excellent.

I completely agree with Nangi, who sais that Panasonic products are good in quality over the complete range of products. As far as I know it is the only brand in the world that has the philosophy to make products that satisfy the customer completely, with no tricks. It makes HQ products with a vision. Konosuke Matsushita who founded the company in 1918 was a very special person.

http://www.php.co.jp/japaninface/kmpage.html

Sony and it's way of marketing bothers me. It makes some people think that they are the only branch that make good electronic gadgets. The fact that sellers throughout the world want to sell more Sony products is because of corruption. E.g.: In a shop you will find 10 video players. 5of them are Sony. And then they show Sony's top models only. From the other branches they place only the "normal" models, but they price them the same. I suppose that Sony gives such stupid sellers some extra money…
Besides this, I admit that Sony is very popular throughout the world. But I don't think Sony deserves it. Sony invests a lot in commercials. Billboards, TV commercials, etc.
Panasonic doesn't do that so much.
Panasonic is very popular too. It has a good name because of its fantastic quality and because customers have confidence in Panasonic Products.

And in Japan: Panasonic and Sony are both popular.

Sony because it is screaming so loud-
Panasonic because they proof that their aim is: "People before products" It is a book written by Konosuke Matsushita himself. :)

[Gundam X]

I agree with Twisted the Sony products aern't as good quality as they used to be. Just came back to Australia from Japan a few weeks ago . The Tour Guide said that it's best not to buy Sony Products because they're bad quality and can break easily and told everyone in the tour to buy Panasonic brand products because they are of better quality.

[arsen_lopen]

Oh now all of the electronics productes in my home are Sony & i'll buy sony vaio laptop
they're very good and contains best technologies. when you expirience Sony productes you'll not use another ones
PANASONIC is very good too but no one of them is worse from the other .they are both the best technologies in Japan productes
it's best not to buy Sony Products because they're bad quality and can break easily and told everyone in the tour to buy Panasonic brand products because they are of better quality. this is an ADD fron urtour guide
because panasonic & sonyy are both the best

[Eternal Wind]

I can say that both are the same...as in which kind of products they're selling...
Each has thier own unique purpose and selling chart...

[MShingen]

I have to agree that Sony products are not up to standard. Especially portable devices such as Discman and MD Walkman (Starting from MZ-R55). They do not last for more than one year, even these devices were being "pampered" by the users. If you are talking about design, maybe Sony has some great designs by in terms of quality standard and durability, Sony is not even on par!

[m477]

Sony has some nice-looking, stylish gadgets, but as far as quality goes they've really gone down the crapper. Panasonic/National stuff isn't as flashy but usually gets the job done. It's kinda like comparing Audi to Honda.

[MShingen]

Sony has some nice-looking, stylish gadgets, but as far as quality goes they've really gone down the crapper. Panasonic/National stuff isn't as flashy but usually gets the job done. It's kinda like comparing Audi to Honda.

Maybe is it because the majority of the Sony products are no longer "Made In Japan"?

[Mana]

my experiences with panasonic and sony was that sony had outlasted panasonic. i had a panasonic discman and it didnt last very long so i then bought a sony one and its still working.....
and my phone is also sony-eriscsson too and in quality wise its pretty good
but i guess they are both equally good and popular :-)

[playaa]

Sony is definately more popular.. You see sony everywhere when in Japan. :)