Could Sony be planning an exit from their Sony Ericsson joint venture? According to anonymous sources, that may be the case -- MobileToday reports that Sony has denied Sony Ericsson the right to use the PlayStation brand, after Sony Ericsson proposed their plan to make a PSP phone.
According to the report, Sony Ericsson pitched their PSP phone idea to the Sony board late last year. But according to "several sources," Sony told colleagues at Sony Ericsson that they only plan to license the use of the PlayStation brand for a phone when they're able to develop the handsets on their own -- which, obviously, suggests a scenario where the Sony Ericsson venture has split. Sony Ericsson, meanwhile, claims Sony's stance is they will only allow the use of the brand on a phone if the experience is high enough to match a standalone PSP.

Do note that these reports are as of yet unconfirmed, with a Sony Ericsson spokeswoman saying they "could not comment on what Sony has or hasn't said," and adding that "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."

Adding intrigue to the matter is the fact that Sony Ericsson has posted fourth quarter losses of $247 million (via PC World), with an equally grim 2009 predicted for the company.