British Carrier O2 Delays Release Of Xperia Play Due to 'Bugs'British Carrier O2 Delays Release Of Xperia Play Due to 'Bugs'

Major British mobile phone carrier O2 is delaying the planned April 1 launch of the PlayStation-branded Xperia Play due to unspecified bugs in the software. In a post on the O2 blog, O2 head of testing Stuart Hibberd said that non-stop testing of the device over a matter of weeks has turned up "some bugs in the software that, if they’re not fixed, means customers won’t have a great experience." In a statement to Eurogamer, Sony Ericsson confirmed that it "will be working with O2 over the next couple of weeks to expedite the process and ensure that O2 customers can soon join consumers across the UK in being able to enjoy the world's first PlayStation certified smartphone." The second-largest mobile provider in the UK, O2 still plans on providing an exclusive white version of the Xperia Play when the software issues are worked out. Other British mobile operators, including Vodafone and Orange, appear to be sticking to the originally planned launch date at this time. The Android 2.3-powered phone is now expected to hit U.S. carrier Verizon exclusively in late April or early May, after originally planning to release in March. Originally known in technology circles as the "PlayStation Phone," the Xperia Play includes a slide-up screen that reveals a directional pad and buttons patterned after the original PlayStation controller, as well as a touch-pad with divot shaped like dual thumbsticks. The device will run standard Android apps through a touch screen, as well as a mix of downloadable classic PlayStation games and exclusive titles designed to take advantage of the system's unique controls.