... at least, according to technology research company Gartner. Reuters reports today that the joint partnership needs to come up with some strong products over the next few months - in time for the huge CeBIT show in March - if it is to prevent a "devastating" decline in sales. Already, sales of handsets have dipped to 5 million in the third quarter, against a combined 8.5 million Sony and Ericsson phones in the same quarter last year, pre-merger. This is hardly the kind of form needed if the company is to fulfill its ambitious aim of being the world's top mobile phone company by 2006.
This news should be of particular interest to Mac users, because Apple has partnered up with Sony Ericsson to develop Bluetooth applications. The most interesting speculation over January's MacExpo that I've heard centers on the potential for new devices born of this partnership, or involving Bluetooth. But since I've predicted it here, it's almost certainly not going to happen now. Sorry.
