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By Bloomberg

Sony Corp. will invest 105 billion yen ($892 million) to accelerate the shift at its semiconductor operations to image sensors for smartphone and tablet cameras.

The money will be used to expand the monthly output capacity of image sensors 33 percent to 80,000 wafers by the end of June 2016, the Tokyo-based company said in an e-mailed statement today. Sony had previously planned an increase to 75,000 wafers a month, it said.

The company also said it will shift 220 employees involved in the development and production of chips for gaming consoles to the image sensor business and other operations. That’s part of Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai’s plan to focus on the company’s strengths, such as PlayStation games, entertainment and components, as it cuts its reliance on consumer electronics.

Sony plans to build on its position as a top supplier of image sensors for smartphones to expand into automotive and wearable markets. The electronics company expects camera modules and sensors to generate about 63 percent of its device unit revenue in the year ending March 2018, it said in November.