Sony to focus on Android based smartphones

NEW YORK, USA: Sony Ericsson will continue to focus on smartphones running on Google's Android platform after becoming part of Sony Corp, chief financial officer of the venture told Reuters in an interview.

Sony Ericsson said on Thursday it expects Sony's 1.05 billion euro ($1.35 billion) acquisition of Ericsson's 50 percent stake in the venture to be finalised, at the latest, in February.

"It allows us even deeper integration with Sony offering. Our focus on Android, our focus on smartphones will not be different," CFO Bill Glaser told Reuters in an interview.

Earlier, Sony Ericsson, the world's ninth-biggest handset maker, reported a pretax loss of 247 million euros ($316.57 million) for the quarter versus a forecast for a small profit in a Reuters poll, blaming a demand slowdown and tough competition.