WSJ: Sony buying out Ericsson's end of mobile joint-venture

So if this goes through, should we be looking for a phone as powerful as vita next year? ^^

This kind of falls in line w/the press even they held a couple weeks ago when unveiling their tablets. They promised more Playstation focused stuff for both tablet and mobile devices. Buying out Ericsson would mean greater control over that as well as more support for the Xperia Play...thank god!

On a related note: if you have a Play, please purchase JumpingFlash! Seeing it at under 10 downloads total is making me sad ='(

Makes sense. I'd love to see a phone designed entirely by Sony.

Without knowing how successful their Xperia line is, it is hard to say why they would want this other than wanting full control and to just have SONY on these phones.

The mobile platform has changed in the last 10 years and it is one of the few things that is profitable because of cell phone plans. I actually think that the "PlayStation" name has been damaged in the past few years. It is no where as high as it was during the PlayStation 2 years.

Vita looks interesting but I still think the UI looks silly. If they are going to continue Xperia they may fraction out the Android market even more. I doubt any of their phones would adopt Windows Phone 7. It also maybe far too late for them to create their own mobile OS without buying someone like webOS or RIM.

I think the later two actually would make more sense especially if they want to build SONY up with their devices. TV, Phone, Gaming all connected. It is what both Microsoft and Apple are doing right now. Android can do it all but it is not exclusive to SONY.

If these "talks" are that fragile, maybe SONY may end their partnership with Erricson and go with someone else instead.

I think sony will make the iPhone of android devices (although i think it was not that great compared to android no widgets screen no notification screen (which was just added in the S) and the only thing you could do is launch apps im sorry but the iPhone is terrible and was good while there were no other smartphones)

I think a future revision of the Vita will have phone capabilities Built in. This would not negatively impact gameplay like adding a 2nd analog to the PSP might have and it will please all the potential buyers who think only phones can be used as gaming devices

This is what Sony needed to do years ago. If Sony can execute quickly and release a PlayStation phone that can access PS3 and PSN that would offer immediate buy-in value for existing PlayStation owners.

No phone currently satisfies both casual and hardcore mobile gaming (AAA games, physical controls. I wonder if Sony has the infrastructure to pull it off.

I know the crowd in joystiq are gamers and they would see this is as a good idea. But do people here honestly believe Playstation branded phones appeal to anyone besides gamers and teenagers?

Sony is already deep in the red in a number of their ventures; Sony Ericsson included. If they are going to do this, I can assure you it won't be centered around Playstation branded phones (maybe continuing the Experia Play line).

With mobile being the way to go they are simply securing their future in the handheld market.meanwhile Nintendo will be a third party if they don't do something fast