Mumbai: Sony Corporation will expand its products and services in the networked electronics and video downloads market, mostly in the emerging markets, and aim for the top spot in LCD TVs as it grows its hardware and software capacities.

Sony, which makes PlayStation games and Vaio PCs, plans to double revenues from the fast-growing markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China to $18.5 billion (2 trillion yen)  and invest 1.8 trillion yen in key businesses and technologies as part of a three-year strategy.

This is part of a series of new initiatives designed to build on its three-year revitalisation plan, aimed at positioning the company as the leading global provider of networked consumer electronics and entertainment by 2011, Sony said in a release.

Sony said it plans to ''strengthen core businesses by enhancing network initiatives and leveraging international growth opportunities to build for the future and drive further growth and profits.''

Sony said it would make a strong push into networked electronics and video download services and aim for the top spot in LCD TVs as the firm seeks to make the most of its hardware and software assets for growth.

"So much more opportunities exist outside the core markets of Japan, North America and Europe," Sony chief executive Howard Stringer said.

"Today, over 40 per cent of the world's population reside in those BRIC countries and they are a young population," he added.

In addition, Sony plans to expand its PC, Blu-ray DiscTM-related products and component/semiconductor businesses, digital imaging (digital cameras and camcorders), game and mobile phones.

Sony expects 90 per cent of its electronics product categories to be network-enabled and wireless-capable by the fiscal year ending 31 March 2011. It would also roll out video services across key Sony products by FY2010, starting with the summer 2008 launch on the Playstation network.

Sony has identified a 5 per cent operating margin as a baseline of profitability and target an annual return on equity of 10 per cent by FY2010. Sony is also planning to allocate a total of 1.8 trillion yen to invest in and build key businesses and technologies over the next three years.

Sony said it will increase network and wireless connectivity across its family of devices and build a service platform to provide a seamless user experience across our key hardware devices and content.

Sony has targeted annual sales of 2 trillion yen in the BRIC countries, including revenues from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications and Sony BMG, by FY2010, doubling FY2007 sales with annual electronics segment sales alone slated to grow from 600 billion yen to 1.2 trillion yen during this period.

Sony Group will also help prevent global warming, recycle resources, ensure appropriate management of chemical substances and address a broad range of other environmental issues, it said in the release.

Through these initiatives, Sony is striving to achieve an absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, specifically a 7 per cent or greater reduction in CO2 emissions by FY2010 compared to the level of FY2000, it said.