Editing Panasonic (section)

===20th century===
[[File:Panasonic, IFA 2018, Berlin (P1070160).jpg|thumb|National TV set from 1952]]
Panasonic, then Matsushita Electric, was founded in 1918 by [[Kōnosuke Matsushita]] as a vendor of duplex lamp sockets.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=PCRFF:US| archive-url= https://archive.today/20120711014901/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?ticker=PCRFF:US|url-status= dead|archive-date=July 11, 2012| title=Panasonic Corp (PCRFF:OTC US)| magazine=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]| access-date=March 14, 2012}}</ref> In the 1920s, Matsushita began regularly launching products. In 1927, he produced a line of bicycle lamps that were the first to be marketed with the ''[[National (brand)|National]]'' brand name.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aoF-CwAAQBAJ&q=1927+panasonic+bicycle+lamps+named+National&pg=PA175|title=Multinational Management: A Casebook on Asia's Global Market Leaders|last=Segers|first=Rien|date=January 29, 2016|publisher= Springer| isbn=9783319230122|language=en}}</ref> During [[World War II]], the company operated factories in Japan and other parts of Asia which produced electrical components and appliances such as [[Incandescent light bulb|light fixtures]], [[Electric motor|motor]]s, [[Ironing|electric irons]], wireless equipment and its first [[vacuum tube]]s.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://panasonic.net/history/museum/product/product02.html|title=Products on Display|access-date=July 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205044745/http://panasonic.net/history/museum/product/product02.html|archive-date=February 5, 2015}}</ref>

After the war, the Matsushita group, largely having been split into MEI and [[Panasonic Electric Works|MEW]] by the dissolution imposed by the occupation force, imperfectly regrouped as a ''[[Keiretsu]]'' and began to supply the post-war boom in Japan with radios and appliances, as well as bicycles. Matsushita's brother-in-law, [[Toshio Iue]], founded [[Sanyo]] as a subcontractor for components after World War II. Sanyo grew to become a competitor to Matsushita, but was later acquired by Panasonic in December 2009.<ref>{{cite web | first= Eric | last= Loveday | work= Green Car Reports | url= http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1039758_panasonic-approved-for-4-6-billion-to-acquire-sanyo-to-become-worlds-largest-li-ion-battery-maker | title= Panasonic Approved For $4.6 Billion To Acquire Sanyo, To Become World's Largest Li-Ion Battery Maker | date= December 8, 2009| accessdate= March 10, 2017}}</ref>

In 1961, Matsushita traveled to the United States and met American dealers. The company began producing television sets for the U.S. market under the ''Panasonic'' brand name, and expanded the use of the brand to Europe in 1979.<ref name="global">[http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en030422-4/en030422-4.html Panasonic expands use of Panasonic brand name globally] in April 2003. /* Introduction */ Shahid Kapoor was the brand ambassador for Panasonic India from 2005 to 2010. Now Ranbir Kapoor has taken over along with Katrina Kaif. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622183647/http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/en030422-4/en030422-4.html|date=June 22, 2008}}.</ref>

Its plant in 1963 produced eight TV sets per minute, accounting for 21.8% of Japan's production of cathode ray tube television sets at the time, the largest share out of any company.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 1, 1963 |title=8 TV SETS IN 60 SECONDS |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19630601-1.2.158.4 |access-date=August 10, 2023 |website=The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB)}}</ref>

The company used the National brand outside North America from the 1950s to the 1970s (the trademark could not be used in the United States because it was already in use).<ref name="thestar20180402">{{Cite web |last=Suthakar |first=K. |title=The man behind Panasonic – Tech News {{!}} The Star Online |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/04/02/the-man-behind-panasonic/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105043010/https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2018/04/02/the-man-behind-panasonic/ |archive-date=January 5, 2019 |access-date=January 4, 2019 |website=www.thestar.com.my|date=April 2, 2018 }}</ref> The inability to use the National brand name led to the creation of the Panasonic brand in the United States.<ref name="thestar20180402" /> Over the next several decades, Matsushita released additional products, including black and white TVs (1952), electrical blenders, fridges (1953), [[rice cooker]]s (1959), color TVs, and [[microwave oven]]s (1966).<ref name="thestar20180402" />

The company debuted a high-fidelity audio speaker in Japan in 1965 with the brand ''Technics''. This line of high quality stereo components became a worldwide favorite, the most famous products being its [[turntables]], such as the [[SL-1200]] record player, known for its high-performance, precision and durability. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Matsushita continued to produce high-quality specialized electronics for niche markets, such as shortwave radios, and developed its successful line of stereo receivers, CD players and other components.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1970-01-19 |title=Matsushita Says Its Goal Is Abundance |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/01/19/archives/matsushita-says-its-goal-is-abundance.html |access-date=2024-05-16 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 1968, Matsushita began to make rotary compressors for air conditioners, and, in 1971, it began to make absorption chillers, also for air-conditioning applications.

In 1972, Matsushita established its first overseas factory, in Malaysia.

In 1973, Matsushita established "Anam National", joint venture with Anam Group in South Korea.

In 1983, Matsushita launched the [[Panasonic Senior Partner]], the first fully [[IBM PC compatible]] Japanese-made computer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=498|title=Panasonic Senior Partner|access-date=August 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612065031/http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?st=1&c=498|archive-date=June 12, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> A year later, Panasonic released the [[Panasonic Executive Partner|Executive Partner]], the first affordable portable computer with a [[plasma display]].<ref name=Howitt1985>{{cite journal | last=Howitt | first=Doran | date=July 22, 1985 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AS8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22 | title=Gas Plasma Price Breakthrough | journal=InfoWorld | publisher=CW Communications | volume=7 | issue=29 | pages=21–22 | via=}}</ref> Around this time the company also introduced inverter air conditioners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aircon.panasonic.com/introducing/history.html|title=History of Panasonic AC| website= aircon.panasonic.com}}</ref>

In 1984, Matsushita established the ''Panasoft'' software label, which published software for [[MSX]] computers from 1984 to 1989. The company also manufactured MSX computers of their own, such as Panasonic FS-A1.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.msx.org/wiki/Panasonic_FS-A1|title=Panasonic FS-A1 – MSX Wiki}}</ref>

In November 1990, Matsushita agreed to acquire an American media company, [[MCA Inc.]], the predecessor of both [[Universal Music Group]] and [[Universal Pictures]], for US$6.59&nbsp;billion. The acquisition was preceded by the takeover of [[Columbia Pictures]] by [[Sony]], the arch rival of Matsushita.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-26-mn-4086-story.html|title=It's a Wrap: MCA Sold : Matsushita to Pay About $6.6 Billion|access-date=April 14, 2013| work=Los Angeles Times| date= November 26, 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/01/business/who-gets-what-from-mca-deal.html|title=Who Gets What From MCA Deal|access-date=April 14, 2013|work=The New York Times| date=December 1, 1990}}</ref> At the time, Matsushita had dominated the home video market with the company's leading position in the electronics market. It had been strengthened by [[VHS]], the de facto standard of consumer [[videotape]] that Matsushita and [[JVC]] co-introduced. Inspired by Sony's bold quest for Hollywood, Matsushita believed it could become a leader in the film industry as well. However, Matsushita subsequently sold 80% of MCA to [[Seagram|Seagram Company]] for US$7&nbsp;billion in April 1995, demoralized by the high volatility of the film industry.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/07/business/seagram-heads-for-hollywood-seagram-will-buy-80-of-big-studio-from-matsushita.html| title=Seagram heads for Hollywood; Seagram will buy 80% of big studio from Matsushita|access-date=April 14, 2013|work=The New York Times |date=April 7, 1995}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/28/business/matsushita-freed-of-mca-reports-a-profit.html| title= Matsushita, Freed of MCA, Reports a Profit|access-date=April 14, 2013| work=The New York Times| date= August 28, 1996}}</ref>

In 1992, Matsushita made the Panasonic FS-A1GT, the last model of the [[MSX turbo R]] computer.<ref>{{Cite web| url= https://www.msx.org/wiki/Panasonic_FS-A1GT|title=Panasonic FS-A1GT – MSX Wiki}}</ref>

In 1993, Matsushita released the [[Panasonic CF-V21P|CF-V21P]], the first [[Notebook (laptop)|notebook computer]] to have an integrated [[CD-ROM]] drive as an option (although only up to 80mm/3.5 inch diameter [[mini CD]]s instead of standard 120mm/4.7 inch diameter discs).<ref name=ptg>{{cite journal | last=Anthony | first=Robert S. | date=January 24, 1995 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AghQgqwUzgUC&pg=PA111 | title=Color Portables: Power to Go | journal=PC Magazine | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=14 | issue=2 | pages=108–181 | via=Google Books}}</ref>{{rp|111}}

In 1998, Matsushita sold Anam National to Anam Electronics.