Digital products pushed up sales and profits of major electronics makers in the first half of business 2007, but the industry also suffered from tougher competition in the core flat-panel TV business in the U.S. as cheaper off-brand TVs won the hearts of consumers there.
According to business results announced as of Wednesday, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Sharp Corp. posted record sales in the April-September period due to hefty movement of flat-panel TVs and mobile phone handsets, while Toshiba Corp. posted record sales due to strong results in computers and semiconductors.
Sony Corp.'s operating profit jumped to ¥190 billion from ¥6.2 billion in the same period last year thanks to brisk sales of digital cameras and computers.