Sony denies "again" Sony PSP phone rumours

Rumours crushed once again

23 November 2007 10:08 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Sony has once again moved to shoot down rumours surfacing on the Internet that the company will be launching a PlayStation handset with Sony Ericsson for gamers.

According to Industry gaming mag MCV, an SCEE spokesperson told the magazine:

“We can categorically state that we are not currently working with Sony Ericsson on any form of PlayStation phone."

“We feel that [SCE co-chief operating officer] Jim Ryan has been misquoted [in saying the idea is 'definitely plausible']."

“We hold constant dialogue with Sony partners – Sony Pictures, the hardware team and Sony Ericsson – but there are no collaborations happening between us on a PSP or PlayStation phone."

"That’s totally untrue – and goes for now and the foreseeable future.”

The rumour, which wasn't this time reported on Pocket-lint following earlier denials from Sony Ericsson in September, has been floating around the ether for some time.

Despite previous reports that we could expect a Sony Ericsson gaming phone in February next year, back in September Sony Ericsson's senior marketing manager, Richard Dorman said this wasn't likely.

The PSP phone rumours began earlier this year when patents for PlayStation themed gaming-enabled mobile phone handsets were discovered.

In addition these rumours were recently confirmed by Sony Ericsson games boss Peter Ahnegard at the Leipzig gaming conference when he stated we would see a PSP phone "before Christmas".

At the time, Mobile Today quoted Dorman as stating: "It is not a focus for us with the UK and Western European market at the moment. I've seen our road map for the next 12 months and neither of those two handsets will feature in it".

The second handset referring to the Sony Bravia phone current only available in Japan.

We will keep you posted.