Nintendo is center stage this morning, announcing the North American release date and pricing for the 3DS. But rival Sony doesn't plan on letting Nintendo hog the handheld spotlight for long. Reports indicate Sony will unveil the long-rumored PSP2 next week, followed shortly thereafter by its Ericsson-made PSP phone.

Citing "two people with knowledge of the plans," Bloomberg reports that Sony intends to officially announce the next generation PlayStation Portable next Thursday, January 27. Further, Sony will try to keep the gaming, tech, and consumer electronics buzz going into February when it unveils its "PSP phone," the Xperia Play.


From Bloomberg:
Sony, the world's second-largest maker of portable game players, will also outline a strategy to use its networked entertainment services to share games, movies and music among handheld products, TVs and other devices, said one person, who declined to be identified because the plan isn't public.

With the updated portable player and the Sony Ericsson touch-screen smartphone to be shown at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Tokyo-based company aims to gain market share in markets dominated by Nintendo Co. and Apple Inc., according to one of the people, whose company makes mobile-phone software and was briefed on the plans.
Mobile World Congress 2011 is set to kick off on February 14 and run through the 17. Sony spokesperson Patrick Seybold declined to comment.


Sharkey says: The rumored features of the PSP2 -- supposedly capable of producing near PS3 quality graphics -- are impressive, but it will be near impossible to overcome the hype surrounding the 3DS and its main feature. If there is one way Sony can make a dent with the PSP2, it's on pricing. Turn the tables on Nintendo and sell the PSP2 for $200 versus the just announced $250 for the 3DS.