Sony investigating PSP phone?

As recently as May Sony has itself stated that a PSP phone "could happen," and now a report from Nikkei business daily states that Sony is planning on putting together a team as early as next month to build product that would act as a combination of a PSP and a Sony Ericsson handset. It makes plenty of sense, both as a differentiation from Nintendo and as a confrontation of the looming iPhone threat -- and hey, it might also act as a decent salve over the lukewarm reception of the pricey PSPgo. Unfortunately, if Sony is just about to get started on this, we likely wouldn't be looking at any resulting product for a while to come. Sony declined comment according to Reuters, which doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's worth keeping in mind that we've been hearing this sort of rumoring since back when the N-Gage (as a product) was still almost relevant.

[Via Mac Rumors]

[dsteve303 @ Jun 28th 2009 4:08AM]

OMG. SONY (Verizon) vs APPLE (AT&T).

BATTLE ROYALE.

[derX @ Jun 28th 2009 4:27AM]

Who will make their device more expensive?

WHO. WILL. WIN?!

*electric guitar music*

[v3xx @ Jun 28th 2009 4:33AM]

derX

at&t has the whole mandatory data plan which is what keeps me away and im sure sony will cover the non subsidized phone front.

[G @ Jun 28th 2009 4:53AM]

Hey guys, why don't all phone manufacturers sell phones to all carriers in the USA like they do here? It's just a lose-lose situation for the consumer, either he has to use a device he doesn't like or he has to sign a contract with a carrier he doesn't like.

[darkmax @ Jun 28th 2009 5:41AM]

I think if Sony manage to push one out soon enough, Apple has no way of cornering an already mature market like those of Sony PSP.

[Ernesttechuser @ Jun 28th 2009 7:56AM]

It'll happen as soon as ARM A9 Cortex based chipsets become available and cheap enough ....

[bartoron @ Jun 28th 2009 8:05AM]

G, it's a win-win situation for AT&T.

[Patriks7 @ Jun 28th 2009 8:07AM]

"Hey guys, why don't all phone manufacturers sell phones to all carriers in the USA like they do here? It's just a lose-lose situation for the consumer, either he has to use a device he doesn't like or he has to sign a contract with a carrier he doesn't like."

Free America, eh?

[G @ Jun 28th 2009 8:23AM]

bartoron, but if we take the example of the iPhone, how exactly does Apple benefit from their phone only being available to a quarter of all potential customers (the people on AT&T)?

[wildstar @ Jun 28th 2009 1:53PM]

In the words of my geat uncle...........LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!

[larryryan0824 @ Jun 28th 2009 1:39PM]

Well AT&T's contract with Apple ends after this year, and Verizons CEO said they will gladly pick up the iPhone if Apple would like to go to them. They have to change the iPhone to work with LTE network which shouldn't be that hard.

AT&T is going to go to shit once the iPhone is out, lol.

[Quantumphysics @ Jun 28th 2009 3:24PM]

PSP is a successful failure. If not for the marketing campaign of Sony, the PSP wouldn't be much more popular than Game Park. I'd rather have a Pandora than a PSP because I demand dual analog sticks to play 3D games.

If Sony didn't put a phone connection into the new PSP GO then it only proves they are still good at FAILING to produce perfect products. There is no reason the next PSP can't have dual analog sticks and Wifi and some cellular network built in. In fact, if they keep fking it up, Microsoft should release a handheld designed around Xbox Live for online play.

[Xoxidine @ Jun 28th 2009 4:11AM]

As long as it's

1) Touchscreen

2) Two analog sticks

3) 64GB internal storage

[jak0b @ Jun 28th 2009 4:33AM]

and four shoulder buttons... I would like to use it as an extra controller for my ps3...

[b3tan @ Jun 28th 2009 7:38AM]

As long as it looks nothing like that horrid rendering up there ^

Who the hell made that thing and how is there nothing better by now? I've seen renders for bloody iPhones that are coming out in 20 years*. This thing has been rumoured for a while and this is the best concept out there?!








*not really 20 years, but you get the jist

[dudebro @ Jun 28th 2009 9:54AM]

that's a brilliant idea! how many times have i put my ps3 controller in my pocket with my iphone and thought "this isn't too much in here at all!" oh and those analog sticks! brilliant! why not 11 analog sticks and no buttons at all? one could even be used as a rotary phone function for people over the age of 135 being the potential buyer or for those kids that think it's retro and awesome.

i love my ps3.
i love my iphone.


i'd love not getting the two devices clustered into one obnoxious pocket disaster.

[SimbaDogg @ Jun 28th 2009 1:21PM]

i know those are things that you would like to see...but two analog sticks on the psp phone? yeah right. if sony wouldn't even implement it on the pspgo, then the psp phone may just be a lost cause.

[Fire Burst @ Jun 28th 2009 10:55PM]

and dont forget the camera and the GPS and youtube and the iphonesonordetectordestroyer.

[jeesusfreek @ Jun 28th 2009 4:12AM]

HA! awesome mockup!

I might vomit if I saw a real phone that ugly in 2009 though...

[matt_goldman1981 @ Jun 28th 2009 4:14AM]

Two analogue sticks. Nuff sed.

[Poo_and_Wee @ Jun 28th 2009 9:32AM]

Not gonna happen. It'd be totally unfeasable for Sony to release a PSP2 as this phone, when the PSP Go isn't out yet. The reason the Go doesn't have two sticks is so that all games are compatible with all PSP models. This phone will have one analog nub, mark my words.

[chuck670 @ Jun 28th 2009 4:34AM]

its to laaaaaaaaate

[Ryoga Vee @ Jun 28th 2009 4:39AM]

2000 and late!

[Jollybee @ Jun 28th 2009 2:45PM]

a little too late indeed

when PSPhone comes out, Apple would have release the next big thing. Sony follows. Keyword: Follow

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 28th 2009 4:39AM]

It's like the MGS4360 rumors; persistent, but never going to happen. I'd love to eat my words though.

[Poo_and_Wee @ Jun 28th 2009 9:33AM]

http://kotaku.com/5303317/kojima-bringing-mgs4-to-360-this-fall

:)

[digitallysick @ Jun 28th 2009 4:55AM]

They probably have a ton of mylos laying around to convert into phones, like they did with the psp go

[Kelmon @ Jun 28th 2009 5:07AM]

The only way I see this practically working is if the phone controls (numeric keypad and, possibly, keyboard) is with an on-screen touch interface because the current game controls, even on the PSPGo, take up so much space. However, if Sony were able to combine the PSP and a Phone into a good package then it certainly would be interesting. Whether such a device will be too late depends greatly on how soon they can bring it to market in an acceptable form. I won't be holding my breath...

[tekdroid @ Jun 28th 2009 5:13AM]

Hi Sony
Please make sure you include a non-replaceable battery and worsen the ergonomics some more :)

[pika2000 @ Jun 28th 2009 5:17AM]

Sony should decide on a platform first. Currently, Sony Ericsson is doing everything just because (Winmo, S60, and upcoming Android). It's a mess. The least Sony should do is simply stick with 1 platform, and focus on it so the user experience will be top notch.

[airmanchairman @ Jun 28th 2009 5:32AM]

It has to be true; with the power that the 3GS is packing, it's only a matter of time before its iPod Touch variant packs some real gaming punch by adding dedicated gaming controllers and buttons in some form or modification.

Omigod, this must be the reason why the equivalent iPod Touch hasn't been released/announced at the same time as its iPhone variant.

Sony is rushing to head Apple off at the pass...

They shall not pass, they shall not pass... BANZAI, NAMU AMIDA BUTSU!!!!!!!

[matt merritt @ Jun 28th 2009 7:47AM]

Except iPod Touch models have never been released alongside the concurrent generation of iPhone. iPhone is released in June/July, iPods are updated in September... so it has been, so it shall be.

[Corey @ Jun 28th 2009 5:57AM]

Please fix the link on: N-Gage

[strider_mt2k @ Jun 28th 2009 7:20AM]

The rumor followed by the fanboy wish lists.

-never gets old, does it? ;)

[veesonic13 @ Jun 28th 2009 7:28AM]

Just imagine a PSPphone with Android! It would kill any phone on the market!

[brandon shigeta @ Jun 28th 2009 7:31AM]

tell sony to make an iphone peripheral! sorta the best of both worlds. gaming hardware by sony, and digital content by apple...
http://brandonshigeta.com/blog/2009/06/02/sony-iphone-perphiral/

[Argot @ Jun 28th 2009 10:53AM]

That would be the worst of both worlds. Imagine having to jailbreak your PSP and try to avoid Sony Rootkits along the way.

[jamesdr1968 @ Jun 28th 2009 8:18AM]

The fun thing with technology is that it's never too late. Whoever has the best technology at the best price wins. Sad but true. Yes, there'll always be the Apple fans who will dare not touch another brand, but most of us will latch on to the next best thing. I'm curious what Sony comes up with. Hell, take your time Sony. Learn from the other's mistakes. And offer it to EVERY carrier.

[G @ Jun 28th 2009 8:22AM]

bartoron, but if we take the example of the iPhone, how exactly does Apple benefit from their phone only being available to a quarter of all potential customers (the people on AT&T)?

[G @ Jun 28th 2009 8:23AM]

oops, disregard this, forgot to click reply up there

[victorvalkov @ Jun 28th 2009 8:29AM]

WHY oh WHY???!!!

[William Su @ Jun 28th 2009 9:05AM]

no this is absolutly terrible the design is horrible

[Peter @ Jun 28th 2009 9:16AM]

and ofcourse the image is ripped from the Gamepark GP32 phone. Worst game phone ever. :)

[Harry Bobo @ Jun 28th 2009 9:20AM]

Yes, Sony did such a great job spending billions to take on the iPod. I am sure Sony will do just as well against the iPhone. No wonder Japan has been in a recession for the last 20 years.

[kingofwale @ Jun 28th 2009 10:09AM]

I'm not aware that recession in Japan for last 20 years was caused by a 7-8 year old Ipod...

And yeah, Sony must've failed sooo badly for last 20 years... I guess you never heard of... WALKMAN?

[Agent .25i @ Jun 28th 2009 9:33AM]

"looming iPhone threat"
You wish, Paul.

[OrsonX @ Jun 28th 2009 10:14AM]

as already said here, waaaayyyyy too late... unless it's based on the PSP2 specs

unless Sony pull their finger out Apple will have the phone-console market sewn-up, having said that, what about the N-gage phones, on par graphically with the PSP but nobody gives a shit!

[htd @ Jun 28th 2009 10:19AM]

put up a team as 'early' as next month? They should have the team years ago.

[Gaz @ Jun 28th 2009 11:22AM]

Checked out the output jpg's on DPreview.
Not very good I'm afraid.

[rotarydialz @ Jun 28th 2009 11:14AM]

Sony has a chance at success if the games are backwards compatible. ahem....UMD? cough, cough.The iPhone and ipod touch have more potential now that developers are allowed to program their own accessories for the iPhone's 30 pin connector.