HTC will launch Playstation certified devices

TAIWANESE SMARTPHONE MAKER HTC will see some of its upcoming devices awarded Playstation certifications.

Unnamed sources have confirmed the news with Pocketlint, which will make HTC the first firm outside of Sony to get the stamp. It will mean its smartphones and tablets will have access to Playstation game titles.

Pocketlint's article says that the announcement could be made at this month's Mobile World Congress, and its sources said that certifications will be given in the second half of the year.

We've known for a long time that firms other than Sony could get the Playstation brand but nothing has come of it since. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play smartphone came to market, commonly known as 'The Playstation Phone', followed by the Sony Tablet S.

HTC has declined to comment on the matter since it comes under the heading of 'rumour and speculation'. If it is true then HTC could complement its music focus Beats branding with a gaming angle.

We saw an unnamed HTC Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich handset leaked last week but there was no hint of a Playstation logo. The firm has said it will be cutting back on its smartphone portfolio this year to focus on high-end devices. µ