While Sony Ericsson was still dripping red ink in its last full year, despite an increase in unit shipments of 35%, one could surmise that perhaps Android is not a moneymaker for the company. Of course, it is too early to tell if high-end devices like the Sony Xperia S or Sony Xperia ion can turn that around. Buying out former joint venture partner Ericsson also can make a difference in the bottom line.
The PS Vita UI
Just in case the red ink keeps flowing, Sony might have a plan on the horizon to replace Android with its own Vita OS, currently used on the PS Vita mobile device. Incoming Sony President and CEO Kazuo Hirai is supposedly giving thought to using the Vita OS on Sony smartphones and tablets. And while Vita OS could be a great gaming system in the future, it still would need a lot of work to be a well rounded operating system. Sony Senior VP Yoshio Matsumoto said, "If you’re asking if we’ve made it in a way that’s expandable, so that it’s possible to apply to smartphones and tablets on top of achieving the high responsiveness we need for gaming devices -- it is possible. That doesn’t mean that we’re applying it to smartphones and tablets at this point in time, but it’s been designed with expandability in mind."
The lads at Phandroid tested out the PS Vita at CES and found it to be, "incredibly smooth and responsive. And while the OS is nowhere close to being as functional as Android, it has potential. Sony would need to work very hard on releasing a plethora of applications and services, though." But don't expect a change overnight. If something like this were to happen, it would require a lot more work on Sony's part and we are looking at years in the future, not weeks or even months.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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