December 28, 2010 -
According to a report in the Japanese Newspaper Asahi Shimbun, the PlayStation Phone is set to be released in Europe and North America as soon as Spring 2011. The phone will combine Google's Android phone OS with Sony's PSP go design, according to the report.
The report seems to imply that a release in Japan is an afterthought, with the phone coming out in North America and Europe first. Sony has not officially announced the phone for any markets, but more and more news reports confirm that it does exist.
Could a PSP that doubles as a phone save Sony's struggling hand-held brand? I guess we'll have to wait and see, but at this point it is pretty doubtful.
Comments
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
I dont think this is such a bad idea but this is not a PSPhone as its been called around the net its part of sonys xperion line of android phones.
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
I seriously doubt this will catch on. I doubt games will priced competitively enough to match the games available on Apples iPhone market. I feel this will be a good product personally, but just don't see it penatrating the market well.
Oh, I also don't personally believe the PSP market is struggling. The games for the system is pretty sparse due to devs not wanting to put stuff on the platform because of piracy being rampant on the system, but the little system has what? Around 70 million units sold? Nothing that has sold that well can be considered struggling. The PSP Go market fell flat on its face though, I will admit that (despite having bought one).
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
That is true, PSP sales figures are around 65m depending on the source, that's better than PS3 in terms of both numbers and market share, and I certainly wouldn't say PS3 is struggling. Personally, I used to own a PSP but I sold it in 2008 due to a lack of good games. That is what they need to improve, encourage 3rd-party support WITHOUT implementing DRM that only inconveniences consumers.
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
Honestly, I see it and all I can think is "N-Gage 2."
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I'm not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I'm not half as thunk as you might drink. I fool so feelish I don't know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
If you can pay your monthly bill with money in your PSN account, I'll buy it.
Re: PSP Phone Rumor: NA, EU Release First
A PSP-Phone is a great idea, but it would be very difficult to pull off. Such a device would need to be all things to all people in order to be competitive in what are essentially three different markets;
1. It would need powerful internal hardware, a great game library and an ergonomic control pad to appeal to 'hardcore' gamers.
2. It would need to be slim, attractive and crucially work well as a smartphone in order to compete in the phone market.
3. It would need to be available cheaply in order for parents to buy it for their young children, this is the market that Nintendo has always dominated, and the iPod touch has a significant share in.
Realistically, they would not be able to accomplish 3 if they accomplish 2 and 1; so they would be best to concentrate on something that appeals to hardcore gamers as an alternative to a smartphone.