Sony Ericsson in no hurry to ship Android devices

Sony Ericsson is still evaluating Android

Sony Ericsson has confirmed that it is still pushing ahead with Android development plans, but is in no hurry to release a device based on the operating system.

Although a number of firms, including HTC, have announced or released phones using Android, recent comments by Sony Ericsson chief executive Hideki Komiyama suggest the company is biding its time.

Sony Ericsson first announced its Android development plans in December last year, when it also joined the Open Handset Alliance.

At the time, Rikko Sakaguchi, head of creation and development at Sony Ericsson, said: "Sony Ericsson is excited to announce its membership of the Open Handset Alliance and confirm its intention to develop a handset based on the Android platform. Sony Ericsson is a strong supporter of open operating systems and we believe the Open Handset Alliance offers an exciting opportunity for a new and unique user experience only Sony Ericsson can deliver."

But on Friday in interviews with journalists, Komiyama said the firm was still looking into the operating system, and was not yet in a position to launch an Android device.

"[Android] does require a lot of evaluation, as well as a lot of testing, a lot of acceptance from a consumer viewpoint, and there is still some time to go, " he said. "Looking ahead, I think that we see this as one of the important operating systems, there is no doubt... Our focus is on how can we differentiate from the competitors using the same operating system."

A spokesman for Sony Ericsson UK confirmed that an Android phone was still in development, but added, "We only announce products when we are ready to, and always with a release date."