Sony Ericsson and Sony have confirmed that it is working on a tablet to take on the plethora of new devices launched at CES.

“I won’t say anything about products we may or may not announce in the future, but only to say that the tablet segment has really concreted itself in the last months”, Steven Walker, acting head of global communications told Pocket-lint in a one-to-one interview at CES in Las Vegas. “If you think of a portfolio across the entire Sony group from smartphones to TVs clearly as a form factor, tablets fit in that spectrum. But as to how and when we might address that segment you’ll have to wait and see”.

The remarks follow comments by Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, at the company’s press conference. During the presser Hirai said:

“Strategy encompasses driving the development of a variety of new strategic products and services including tablets currently in development as well as smartphones, all the while of course integrating the know-how and the assets that we've accumulated from our PlayStation business”.

Meanwhile the Nikkei reports that CEO Howard Stringer has further confirmed that Sony “is developing tablet computers”, with the aim to “grab second place in the industry by the end of 2012 after Apple”.

Those however expecting a launch in the next couple of weeks are likely to be disappointed as according to the newspaper, Stringer said:

“The company will take sufficient time in development so Sony's product can be clearly distinguished from its rivals”.

It’s however, still confident of a 2011 launch in the US and elsewhere.