Sony Ericsson refutes rumours of split

Sony Ericsson has spoken to TechRadar and strongly downplayed recent rumours the two companies are about to split.

Recent stories have suggested that a refusal to allow Sony Ericsson to use the PSP brand by parent company Sony have led to tensions within the camp, but TechRadar spoke to Richard Dorman, Sony Ericsson senior marketing manager, who refuted the claims:

"The relationship between Sony and Ericsson is a strong as it ever has been, and neither plan to walk away."

Turning a frown upside down

Sony Ericsson also posted significant losses in 2008 of over £50 million, but Dorman was bullish about the company's chances in the coming year:

"I was just on a conference call with the head of western Europe, and he made a great point: before the partnership both Sony and Ericsson's handset divisions were losing money, but we proved a partnership can work.

"We had a tough time in 2008, a tough 12 months, but that doesn't mean the partnership will dissolve. As far as we're concerned, it's full steam ahead, and we'll look to the power of the partnership to turn things around."

Sony Ericsson has seen its worldwide market share eroded in the last year after strong results from LG and Samsung, but remains a leading manufacturer in the UK and will likely be releasing significant updates at Mobile World Congress later this month.