19) The Transistor Radio which did not Get "The World's First"

 
Photo A (Left): 4-transistor type radio which Regency in US released in 1954
Photo B (Right): "TR-52" transistor radio which Sony prepared for test and mass production

It was in August, 1955 when Sony released long-cherished transistor radio "Model TR-55," which was in super-heterodyne system with 5 transistors, and the price was 18,900 yen. It is like Sony way that they dared to adopt grown-type transistors to realize better high frequency characteristics in spite of their low manufacturing yield. But the roads to the product release were rough with many ups and downs, and they could never quietly bring the product into the market.
For one, Regency, the subsidiary company of Texas Instruments in U.S. tried to put their 4 transistor type transistor radio (Photograph A) on the market, as a big special Christmas campaign. Although Regency were obliged to withdraw from the market soon due to the defective problem, Sony also had to put down the signboard of "the First in the World."
And secondly, Sony themselves faced a defective problem which caused a schedule delay.
What happened was as follows. Sony completed prototype development of "TR-52," which fully adopted junction type transistors in January 1955, and was preparing for mass production.
And in the summer time this year an unexpected accident happened. As shown in photo B, they stuck the grid shaped plastic plates to the cabinets in order to simulate the United Nations building. However, the plates came to be lifted up, affected by the early summer's heat, and they decided not to launch the product. This is why it is referred to as the "phantom of the United Nations building type radio."

Photo A: Source: Document of TI in US
Photo B: Provided by Sony

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“Mr. Shimura’s Essays with Historic Photos”    Semiconductor History Museum of Japan
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