PS Phone: Sony admits "new product"
Will take on iPad with new tablet, too.
Sony has admitted to having a "new product" in development that's linked to Sony Ericsson and Sony Computer Entertainment and the cellphone gaming market.
Could this be the PlayStation Phone that was pictured, denied and then un-denied-but-ignored last week?
"We are trying to figure out what we can do as Sony in this [cellphone] market," stated "Sony execs" during a recent financial call transcribed by Engadget. "There is Sony Ericsson and there is [Sony Computer Entertainment].
"[SCE] moved from Aoyama, the design and headquarters had to come to Sony City. They are closer to the planning and engineering group of Sony, and I think we can better incorporate all of these capabilities. When the timing is right we can probably announce the new product that we have."
Engadget noted that the transcription came from a translator's interpretation of what "Sony execs" said. The exec in question is likely to be chief financial officer Masaru Kato. Seeking Alpha, a professional transcription service, provided an alternative record of the call.
"Mobile gaming is a very important business area for us," said Sony's chief financial officer Masaru Kato. "We started out with the PSP that was our first mobile gaming console, but since then the market as you know has expanded into bigger arenas; gaming on mobile phones, gaming on tablets and on certain mobiles devices.
"The PSP being a proprietary platform was more concentrated I'd say on the core gaming segment than the light game, but now we are addressing that market as well. I can not be specific as to how we will introduce new product to address these markets, but one thing I can say is that we have those markets addressed and we will come out with products and services to capture the broader gaming market."
Despite the statement discrepancies, both accounts suggest that a new mobile gaming device focused on "light games" may be in development at Sony.
What's more, there may also be a tablet under construction behind Howard Stringer's closed doors.
Engadget's transcription added: "As for the tablet ... obviously as a mobile strategy, this occupies a very important position. On one hand there is PC, and on the other hand there is joint venture with Ericsson on smartphone and for the games devices. And tablets fall somewhere in between.
"It is true Apple has led the market, but when we are to enter the market we would like to put a Sony character onto a new product - and that is the effort we are making right now. Therefore I think you can hope for a very good product to come out."
