Analysts report that Sony is working on a smartphone product to rival the iPhone. We’ve heard rumours of the PSP phone for ages now, but this one says it’ll be out this year.
The Wall Street Journal writes that Sony will release a multimedia gaming phone in 2010, moved to action following the success of the iPhone – which now represents a serious threat to the PSP’s already-faulty grip on the handheld gaming market.
Of course, the iPhone is now firmly stuck in its privileged position of success within the mobile market, and has been for a while, so to call the 2010 appearance of the PSP phone a strategic move would be giving Sony too much credit. The App Store has already achieved an eye-opening three billion downloads and can rightfully claim that the iPhone’s non-phone elements – gaming, apps, web browsing – are major draws for the average punter.
Could Sony turn its fortunes around in 2010? We have our doubts, but we hope so. The expensive PSP Go represented a major mis-step, alienating many users with its high price and arguably cut-down feature set – even if it is a cracking piece of kit. One foot placed wrong with the PSP phone could see it drop into obscurity within a year. Good luck, Sony!
YOU SHOULD READ – VIDEO – Hands-on with the Sony Ericsson Vivaz
