PSP Phone Out Next Christmas?

Earlier we posted what we thought could be the “PlayStation Phone” — which was more phone than PlayStation. This Sony Ericsson “gaming phone” does not carry the PlayStation brand, which is something many analysts found strange. Elsewhere business site Marketing Weeks writes about the rumoured PlayStation phone Sony is apparently working on:

It is thought the phone will incorporate elements of the PlayStation Portable (PSP). It is understood the phone could hit the shelves in time for Christmas 2009… Sources in Japan and Korea say Sony is working on converting the current PSP model into a phone. Analysts say it would be “relatively easy” to convert the current PSP as it already incorporates wi-fi.

According to Marketing Week, the reason why the Sony Ericsson phone does not carry the PlayStation brand is that Sony would “never give its PlayStation branding” to Ericsson after learning from its “strategic error” of giving the Walkman brand to Ericsson. What’s more, relationship between Sony and Ericsson is “frosty”. Burrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Sony plots gaming phone with PlayStation branding [Marketing Week via MCVUK] [Pic]