Sony's profits have more than tripled year-on-year in the April to June quarter (PDF link), thanks to strong sales of camera sensors and the PlayStation 4, which has now sold 25.3 million units globally to date. The company's overall net profit rose to ¥82.4 billion yen (£425 million, $664 million), significantly surpassing market expectations.

Sony moved three million PS4s during the quarter, while peripheral and software shipments also increased, leading to the division's 12.1 percent increase in sales to ¥288.6 billion (£1.4 billion, $2.3 billion), and an operating profit of ¥19.5 billion (£100 million, $160 million). The PS4 has taken a significant lead in the console market, massively outselling the rival Xbox One and Nintendo Wii U, the latter of which has sold just 10 million units.

Sony's devices division—which makes the camera sensors in high-end phones from Samsung and Apple—continues to grow. The unit saw a 35.1 percent increase in sales to ¥237.9 billion (£1.2 billion, $2 billion). Sales to external customers—i.e., those high-end phone makers—increased 41.2 percent year-on-year.

Despite the excellent results, overall sales for the company are essentially flat year-on-year. Much of the blame lies with Sony's mobile division, which saw sales drop 16.3 percent. The company blames a decrease in smartphone sales resulting from "a strategic decision not to pursue scale." In other words, Sony's focusing on the high-end phone market, rather than trying to tackle it all. Unfortunately, the strategy doesn’t appear to be working.

Other divisions also dragged Sony down. Sony Pictures' sales decreased 11.9 percent year-on-year, resulting in an operating loss of ¥11.7 billion (£60 million, $96 million). Sony's home entertainment division—which includes TVs and AV equipment—also saw a drop in sales, decreasing 13.8 percent year-on-year. Sony blames a decrease in sales of mid-range LCD TVs, as well as a decrease in home AV unit sales, which reflect a "contraction of the market."