German-language Manager Magazine is reporting that Ericsson is about to end its mobile phone partnership with Sony. Discussions are apparently already underway with Sony expressing an interest in buying out Ericsson.
Sony may have some difficulty in taking sole control of the company as it reported a US$1.67 billion loss for its fiscal 2008 year. It’s unclear if Sony would be able to finance the buyout.
While the story is speculative, it would not be the first time that a split between the two companies has surfaced.
Note: The ‘More information’ link is in German. [Google translation]