Sony Mobile Communications has lowered the target of its smartphone shipments for fiscal 2016, which ends March 2017, to 17 million units from the previous forecast of 19 million units in July, according to a release from the parent company, Sony.

Reduction in mid-range smartphone sales, as well as reduction in smartphone sales in unprofitable regions will cause reduction in total sales, Sony said.

Affected by the downward adjustment, sales of Sony's mobile communications products will total JPY780 billion (US$7.517 billion) in fiscal 2016, down from JPY840 billion forecast in July.

However, the company's goal of generating a total of JPY5 billion in profits from its mobile communication business remains unchanged as it will continue to focus on high-end smartphones.

Sony Mobile shipped 3.5 million smartphones in the second quarter of fiscal 2016 (July-September 2016), down from 6.7 million units of a year ago but up from 3.1 million units of a quarter earlier.