Brother Group History

1990s Exploiting the SOHO Market and Entering into the Online Karaoke Business

Brother developed a fax machine and small All-in-Ones that met the needs of a work-style called SOHO, in which an individual or a group of a few individuals runs a business by using their home, and so forth, as their office, and became a pioneer in this market. In 1992, the company entered into the online karaoke business by utilizing self-developed content distribution technologies and infrastructure.

Exploiting the SOHO Market

Chronology

1992

Released $399 FAX-600 facsimile machine in the USA.

Poster of FAX-600Poster of FAX-600

1992 Released "JOYSOUND"-the industry's first karaoke network system via ISDN lines.
1993 Released "JS-1X"-the industry's first centralized control system for karaoke BOX for network karaoke field.
1993 Began shipping FAX-900 plain fax paper series and a series of faxes with cutters (increased share in the European market for SOHO users).
1994 Released low-end FAX-620 fax machine with cutter targeting the US SOHO market.
1994 Began manufacture of HL-630 laser printer (Brother's first wholly in-house product. Marketed in the USA at $399).
1995 Began manufacture of MFC-4500ML series laser engine-based All-in-One.
1997

Inkjet digital All-in-One MFC-7000FC launched (the first color digital inkjet All-in-One with a selling price of less than 1,000 dollars).

Inkjet All-in-One MFC-7000FCInkjet All-in-One
MFC-7000FC

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