Later the three Bell doctors visited Sony. The transistor radio paved the way for germanium to silicon and from radio to TV.
After many trials and tribulations, Sony launched Japan's first transistor radio in 1955. He visited Western Electric's factory and sent back dozens of pages of written observations, what today is known as the Iwama Report. In 1954, the 35-year old Iwama-san, who was a board director at the time, volunteered to lead the transistor radio research development team and left for the US. And, although Western Electric licensed the patent, Sony had to find its own way for development and manufacturing. Ibuka-san, who foresaw the potential of this unknown component, took the decision to manufacture a transistor radio and signed a contract with Western Electric. Four years later, parent company Western Electric announced it would make available the patent rights for the transistor. Shockley, Bardeen and Brattain of Bell Laboratories. The transistor was invented in 1948 by Drs. Iwama-san's contributions to the development of the transistor ensure that whenever people hear his name, they naturally think of the transistor.
It's now 25 years since Iwama-san passed away while he was still president. On the left is Iwama-san, who startedĭevelopment on the transistor TV the previous Walter Brattain casts a paternal eye over