Sony Ericsson: PSP phone a possibility

MCV sister mag

Develop

reports that Sony Ericsson’s president Miles Flint has gone on the record to talk about the company’s supposed move towards creating a games-focused mobile calling it "an area of possible future activity".

His comments were published in yesterday’s FT, and come off the back of details circulated last week by our sister magazine Mobile Entertainment that Sony Ericsson would launch a new games device in February.

Insider talk says the phone will not boast the PlayStation brand, but Flint’s comments suggest the matter over branding is still to be decided.

The company, 50 per cent owned by Sony itself, already produces Bravia-branded handsets for Japan, taking the name from its parent firm’s line of high-end TVs, and already uses the Walkman and Cybershot logo on other phones, a move that has reportedly help the company double margins in the last three years.

However, whatever the choice, Flint – who steps down as president in two months – said the priorty for the device was clear: We need to make sure that it is a credible phone, and be sure we are justified in putting that identity on it."