Rumours that Sony would launch a Windows Phone smartphone have been around since mid-2010 when the company was still a joint venture with Ericsson. With Microsoft about to launch Windows Phone 7, Sony was thought to be working on a QWERTY keyboard slider with a 4-inch display codenamed Julie. It never came to be but the rumours have regularly resurfaced.
Now, the newly launched TheInformation reports that Sony could launch a Windows Phone device as soon as mid-2014. The smartphone could launch as a Vaio device, a brand name Sony currently uses for Windows laptops.
The rumour comes as Microsoft is reportedly actively wooing manufacturers back to the Windows Phone platform, going as far as considering dropping license fees. Windows Phone has struggled to establish itself against Android and iOS. Much of the success it has had comes at Nokia’s hands. Microsoft is set to acquire the Devices & Services division from Nokia in a deal worth US$7.2 billion, leaving it with new other partners to help it move forward.
The report adds that Microsoft is also talking to China’s ZTE, likely in a bid to broaden the selection of Windows Phone devices at the budget-level where ZTE has been quite strong.
The rumour is quite interesting given that Sony and Microsoft are fierce rivals in other areas, most notably in the gaming console market where both companies recently launched new systems. Can you imagine a Sony smartphone that would offer integration with the Xbox one rather than the PlayStation 4?
Do you want to see a Sony Windows Phone smartphone? Let us know below.
Sources : TheInformation // PCMag