Sony Corp. and RealNetworks Inc., a major U.S. maker of Internet audio and video distribution software, said Tuesday they have agreed to enhance business ties to deploy RealNetworks' software in a range of Sony's digital devices.
Sony also agreed to buy a 1 percent stake in RealNetworks, capping the duo's business relationship of more than two years, they said.
The two have cooperated to combine Sony's sound compression and copyright protection technology with various types of RealNetworks software, such as RealPlayer and RealJukebox, so that their combined technologies can be applied to Sony's personal computers.
Sony plans to adopt RealNetworks' digital distribution software in a range of Sony's products such as minidisc players and PlayStation2 home video game consoles, they added.