The oldest story in the mobile world proves it still has some legs as Sony 'insiders' spill beans.
Sony is busy working on a PlayStation-branded phone, according to 'company insiders'.Of course, we've heard it all a million times before, but Marketing Week reports that the phone will incorporate elements of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and could hit the shelves in time for Christmas 2009.
MW quotes ‘sources in Japan and Korea’ which say Sony is working on converting the current PSP model into a phone.
Insiders told the magazine that the PSP Phone means future of the Sony Ericcsson JV is in the balance – with internal conversations ‘confirming’ that Sony would “never give its PlayStation branding” to Sony Ericsson and instead go it alone.
Another industry source said that the relationship between Sony and Sony Ericsson had become “frosty” – and added that Sony has learned from its “strategic error” of giving its Walkman branding to Sony Ericsson.
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Sony Ericsson launched its new F305 gaming phone last week, which included a 'Wii-style' control mechanic.
At the launch of the device ME's Tim Green asked the obligatory 'is there going to be a PlayStation phone?' question.
He got the usual non-comittal "we don't comment on devices that we haven't launched yet." But Sony Ericsson did imply that, since it has already launched Walkman and Cyber-shot phones, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume a PlayStation device might emerge one day.
