PlayStation Phone due April

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play – otherwise known as the PlayStation-branded mobile phone – will launch in the UK this April.

Phone service providers Orange, T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone all say they will be stocking the Android-powered gaming phone, Pocket Lint reports. According to Orange and T-Mobile the device will hit shelves in April.

O2 said on Twitter: Awesome news – the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is coming to O2. Loving its ad.”

The Xperia Play features PlayStation-branded buttons, a flip-screen and is likely to include the PlayStation Suite platform, which allows gamers to download PSone and Android software. Sony previously announced the mobile gaming platform at its NGP reveal last week.

It was confirmed earlier today that a full reveal of the Xperia Play will take place on Sunday, February 13th at 18:00 GMT at Mobile World Congress 2011.

The device is entirely separate to Sony’s NGP – the successor to the PSP – which is also due for launch in the UK later this year.