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PS Phone to launch in Feb 2011

Sony will launch the heavily rumoured PlayStation Phone in February 2011, a new report claims.

It will be officially unveiled on 9th December, PocketGamer reckons (thanks, VG247).


This latest rumour was sparked by French blog Nowereelse.fr, which has received an image of what looks like a press invitation to a Sony event.

It shows the four famous PlayStation symbols next to an image of a phone.

The invite reads: "The most awaited event of the past 10 years." Hasn't Sony heard of the X-Factor final?

According to website MobileCrunch, the phone will be formerly launched next February.

Apparently the phone's screen is "on par" with the iPhone's Retina display. Sony's Bravia technology is said to have "trickled" in here, with Sony Ericsson considering leveraging the Bravia brand when highlighting the display.


Games will be priced at mobile game rates, not PSP rates. Sony Ericsson currently has the off-contract price somewhere around $500, with that purchase including five free games.


The PlayStation Phone, along with the PSP2, is one of the worst kept secrets in gaming.

On Monday Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg said, "There's a lot of smoke, and I tell you there must be a fire somewhere.

"Sony has an extremely strong offering in the gaming market, and that's very interesting. Sony is of course a very strong brand, and why shouldn't we use that? Gaming, including content, is a very interesting proposition."

According to the Wall Street Journal, the PlayStation Phone will carry the Sony Ericsson Xperia brand, run Google Android and offer games through an application.


Nordberg plans a big splash at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona this February 2011 – could that tie in with the rumoured launch?

The PlayStation Phone has long been speculated. It appeared to be on the verge of confirmation last month when a series of target images were leaked and numerous reports backed them up.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-11-25-ps-phone-to-launch-in-feb-2011-report
 

Blablurn

Member
more like PS1 Phone?

still it sounds pretty interesting. looking forward to the reveal. too bad they dont call it playstation phone.
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Suzzopher said:
So this will be based more on PSP than PSP2?

it seems to be an android phone with some extra gaming support, but the way it says "it'll support games through an application" suggests that speculation about the thing having full psp capabilities seems incorrect.
 

Suzzopher

Member
Stumpokapow said:
it seems to be an android phone with some extra gaming support, but the way it says "it'll support games through an application" suggests that speculation about the thing having full psp capabilities seems incorrect.

So it won't be PSP related at all other than brand? So a third pillar:lol
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
A new platform that was mutually exclusive from SCE's next would be a massively missed opportunity. However the original report is unclear about both the February date and the platform for games, what exactly it is. They don't know.

TBH, I think the February thing is just coming from the comments from Nordberg that suggested it might be unveiled in Feb at the Mobile World Congress.
 

Totobeni

An blind dancing ho
Suzzopher said:
So it won't be PSP related at all other than brand? So a third pillar:lol

well it's "the PlayStation" brand not "PSP" brand , and the PSP/PSP2 related talk were just speculations iirc , and this "PS" phone might have Mini support or something else I dunno , maybe even just the controls/PS buttons and nothing else (SE used Walkman brand before and it was there just as a "logo") but oh well , lets wait and see.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
onken said:
I wonder if this will release in Japan. I'm leaning towards no.

Regardless of what it is, I think it's a no-brainer. Sony Ericsson has been crowing about how well their Android devices have been selling in Japan. A new Android device from them + Playstation not launching in Japan? Seems unfathomable.
 
Please post the original source next time.

In the original article there's no real hint of a February release, the actual quote is that its "no where near ready" and won't be launching this year.

That and the fact that Sony are internally hyping its display technology, just like they are doing with PSP2 could be another indication of a link between the two projects.
 
Suzzopher said:
So it won't be PSP related at all other than brand? So a third pillar:lol

I find this an unusual move as how many companies release two new handhelds so close to one another (this and of course PSP2)?

Isn't this going to confuse a lot of people and possibly... "divide" 3rd party support maybe?

Sure Nintendo has had two handhelds at once, but the newest one is supposed to replace the other so that the older one's gone in like a year or something, maybe the DS will stick around a bit longer, I don't know.
 
N

NinjaFridge

Unconfirmed Member
Stumpokapow said:
it seems to be an android phone with some extra gaming support, but the way it says "it'll support games through an application" suggests that speculation about the thing having full psp capabilities seems incorrect.

I wouldn't be surprised if Google jumped on this with Sony. Android gaming is pretty lacking and the Playstation brand on Android would be appealing to developers and consumers.
 

Suzzopher

Member
brain_stew said:
Please post the original source next time.

In the original article there's no real hint of a February release, the actual quote is that its "no where near ready" and won't be launching this year.

That and the fact that Sony are internally hyping its display technology, just like they are doing with PSP2 could be another indication of a link between the two projects.

Now that syncs with everything else we're hearing.
 

onken

Member
gofreak said:
Regardless of what it is, I think it's a no-brainer. Sony Ericsson has been crowing about how well their Android devices have been selling in Japan. A new Android device from them + Playstation not launching in Japan? Seems unfathomable.

Well you'd think so but the SE line-up here is total crap, wouldn't surprise me at all if they didn't release it for whatever stupid reason.

farnham said:
so is this PSP2 or will there be a PSP 2 alongside of this ?

Two separate devices, it would appear.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
darkwing said:
btw how will this be a PS Phone? it will play PSP games or just PS1 games?

These are the possibilities as far as I can see:

a) It plays PSP games

b) It plays PS1 games

c) It's an entirely new platform separate from SCE's next PSP platform

d) It bears some relationship to SCE's next PSP platform either as

1) a fully compliant device
2) compliant with the minis component of the next platform

I think a) and b) are unlikely given rumours so far about the content on the device and its interface setup.

That leaves c) and d). Either are possible, but IMO, c) doesn't make sense and would be unsustainable. How many of these phones would SE have to sell in order to prop up their own separate games platform? What incentive could they give developers to publish their games on this platform vs ordinary android?

Not that Sony can't do nonsensical things, but so many things seem illogical about c).
 
farnham said:
so is this PSP2 or will there be a PSP 2 alongside of this ?

The "new" parts we've learned from the original source increase the evidence that this is PSP2 related if anything.

A high resolution display and the device being "no where near ready" are both details which are common with PSP2 speculation and these are the only two new tidbits about a Playstation Phone that I can gather from this latest leak.

No one outside of Sony and their partners knows for certain either way yet, anyone inferring otherwise is making their own speculation.
 

Spiegel

Member
gofreak said:
These are the possibilities as far as I can see:

a) It plays PSP games

b) It plays PS1 games

c) It's an entirely new platform separate from SCE's next PSP platform

d) It bears some relationship to SCE's next PSP platform either as

1) a fully compliant device
2) compliant with the minis component of the next platform

I think a) and b) are unlikely given rumours so far about the content on the device and its interface setup.

That leaves c) and d). Either are possible, but IMO, c) doesn't make sense and would be unsustainable. How many of these phones would SE have to sell in order to prop up their own separate games platform? What incentive could they give developers to publish their games on this platform vs ordinary android?

Not that Sony can't do nonsensical things, but so many things seem illogical about c).

b) is not unlikely. It's probably the most realistic option
Ps1 + Android.

Phones have a short life timespan and I wouldn't be surprised if this has nothing to do with the PSP.

Then maybe Sony will release a standalone PSP2 unit in late 2011 and add the PSP2 phone SKU at the same time or sometime later
 

NHale

Member
So a PSPhone and a PSP 2 launching in the same year? There is no way the consumers will be confused, no way in hell.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Spiegel said:
b) is not unlikely. It's probably the most realistic option
Ps1 + Android.

Phones have a short life timespan and I wouldn't be surprised if this has nothing to do with the PSP.

Then maybe Sony will release a standalone PSP2 unit in late 2011 and add the PSP2 phone SKU at the same time or sometime later

b) is possible, but there are parts of some of the rumours that don't tally with that. Parts that do, parts that don't.

It would at least make more sense that c), though, I'll grant you that.
 

EVIL

Member
onken said:
I wonder if this will release in Japan. I'm leaning towards no.
japan, one of the largest cellphone and Playstation markets in the world.. are you nuts? offcourse it will release there.
 

EVIL

Member
NHale said:
So a PSPhone and a PSP 2 launching in the same year? There is no way the consumers will be confused, no way in hell.
it might be the main reason for the phone to sell under the xperia brand, more then the playstation one. plus its not a PSP phone, its a PS phone. PlayStation is a brand name.
 
NHale said:
So a PSPhone and a PSP 2 launching in the same year? There is no way the consumers will be confused, no way in hell.

Seriously change up the op already, Eurogamer's shitty reporting is adding too much confusion to the mix. Give people the direct details from the "leak" and let them make thier own speculation, don't try and force them to swallow someone else's fantasy.
 
Spiegel said:
b) is not unlikely. It's probably the most realistic option
Ps1 + Android.

Phones have a short life timespan and I wouldn't be surprised if this has nothing to do with the PSP.

Then maybe Sony will release a standalone PSP2 unit in late 2011 and add the PSP2 phone SKU at the same time or sometime later
I'd say PSP Minis would be a likely bet as well. So Minis and PS1 games bought directly from PSN grants you the option to play them on any PS system while PS3 and PSP ones can only be played on them.
 

onken

Member
EVIL said:
japan, one of the largest cellphone and Playstation markets in the world.. are you nuts? offcourse it will release there.

SE's market share here is tiny compared to the other brands, as well as the fact smartphones haven't taken off here to nearly the same extent as in the rest of the world. It's not so certain as you make out.
 
Kurosaki Ichigo said:
I'd say PSP Minis would be a likely bet as well. So Minis and PS1 games bought directly from PSN grants you the option to play them on any PS system while PS3 and PSP ones can only be played on them.

Minis run on native PSP code, and even the PS3 struggles to emulate them at full speed.


The only way its going to support PSP Minis is if it has PSP hardware in there and if it has PSP hardware included then its going to run full PSP games as well.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
By the by, has any other site/blog corroborated that French site's story about invites to that Dec 9 event?

I haven't yet seen any other site say they got invites...just linking back to this other blog.
 
wow ok, sounds like it will only play Minis and dedicated 0.99$ minigames similar to iOS.

My Motorola Droid is looking a little banged up anyways, might jump on this! ;D
 
gofreak said:
By the by, has any other site/blog corroborated that French site's story about invites to that Dec 9 event?

I haven't yet seen any other site say they got invites...just linking back to this other blog.

Someone on GAF posted a picture of their invite in the last thread, didn't they?
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
brain_stew said:
Someone on GAF posted a picture of their invite in the last thread, didn't they?

It seemed a wee bit ambiguous to me as to whether he was actually that blogger or not. He said 'he'd cover it for us' but he phrased the blog post as rumour and said it was something going around french sites, so...I dunno...

I think it's a bit odd if only one site has a first hand report on it. The same picture is popping up over and over.
 

krae_man

Member
Guevara said:
$500 without contract is not bad actually... I would have guessed more.

No, $500 for a god damn cellphone is still insane. I can't for the life of me understand how Apple and RIM have convinced millions of people to spend $500+ on a cellphone.

Anyway regarding the price, I don't think Sony can compete at Apple price levels. I really think this thing needs to be Sub $300 without a contract to stand a chance.
 
I'm scared to see what Sony's software guys will have done to Android. But the prospects of an Android phone along with PSP guts is appealing.
 
If this phone also has the actual psp2 innards, then it is interesting. If this is just an Android phone with gaming controls that can only play ps1 titles, well Android already has a ps1 emulator so it wouldn't be adding much.

Sony really should integrate "mobile playstation" hardware into every one of their devices that can support it (phones, BD players, TV, home consoles, tablets). They can even drop the psp branding at this point and use something fresh. And of course, have everything run Android from this point on.
 

Massa

Member
Not a PSP2 phone then? Looks "Playstation" is just the latest Sony brand that SE is bringing down to its level. What a fuckup.
 

Sipowicz

Banned
as i expected, it's a completely different product from the PSP2

feb release is clever as fuck. steal some of the thunder from the 3DS
 

Cruzader

Banned
Seems alot of you are confused.

PS Phone = Playstation Phone
PSP Phone(psphone) = Playstation Portable Phone

Two different things. This is not PSP2 related. PS Phone is prolly just using PS brand and might not be PSP related, which is crazy. Maybe it will offer better Android gaming for smartphone, who knows.
 
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