If you've been anxiously awaiting the release of a PlayStation branded cell phone, you're going to be waiting a lot longer—perhaps indefinitely.

Sony has reportedly refused to give Sony Ericsson the right to create a mobile phone using the PlayStation name. Ericsson originally pitched the idea to Sony's board last year with the idea of creating a handset that would appeal to gamers, similar to the Cybershot or Walkman branded handsets they already produce. The phone would in theory be much like a PSP, allowing you to play PlayStation games directly on your mobile phone.

Word on the street is that Sony refused to offer Ericsson branding because it felt like the phone the company proposed would be a disappointment to PlayStation users, and not offer them the same quality of experience they currently get from PlayStation products.

A Sony Ericssson spokesperson issued a statement on the issue saying "In the past, we have been keen that our product proposition lives up to brand promise, and we feel at the moment the technical specs are not high enough to put such a prestigious brand on a phone."

Sony Ericsson has recently gone through some troubled times, recently cutting business costs and attempting to reclaim customer debts. A successful PlayStation phone could be what the company needs to keep going—but when even their sister company won't give them branding rights for a device, the company's future isn't looking too pretty.
 

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