14 DAY TRIAL // The long rumored PlayStation Phone is expected to become available for purchase on the market sometime in March next year, some of the latest rumors around the Internet suggest.
The handset, supposedly called Sony Ericsson Zeus Z1, should make an official debut at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona in February next year.
According to an inside source at Sony Ericsson, cited by ITProPortal, the mobile phone maker is indeed getting ready to make the said device available in early spring 2011.
[ADMARk=1]Moreover, it appears that the handset would be branded as the PlayStation Phone when released on the market, and not as an Xperia device, as previous rumors on it suggested.
The mobile phone reportedly runs under Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, and reference to PlayStation controls that were found in the Gingerbread SDK should confirm this state of facts.
We already had the chance to take a look at some photos and videos that already emerged with the device, and we also learned some info on the hardware specifications it would arrive on shelves with.
Thus, we should expect for this mobile phone to be released on shelves with a 3.7-inch touchscreen display on board, complemented by a slide-out gaming control panel, along with the said Gingerbread OS flavor.
What's interesting is that Sony Ericsson is now reported to not announce the device officially in December, as previously rumored.
Most probably, the handset vendor is trying to shorten the period of time that passes from the official announcement of a new mobile phone until the device is actually released on shelves.
Basically, this would mean that only the official unveiling of the device was delayed, and that the handset's March availability is in line with the company's previous plans.
In all fairness, nothing on this is certain for the time being. However, more info on the handset and on Sony Ericsson's plans for it should emerge soon, so keep an eye on this space for additional details.