Whether you call it PlayStation Phone, or have opted to refer to it via its supposed codename Zeus, speculation regarding the device's release date remains just as rife.

According to sources cited by Pocket-lint, however, the first handsets should be winging their way to retail come April following an official unveiling at Mobile World Congress in February.

The debut debate

"Sony Ericsson is going big on this one," one of the site's sources commented.

"But although it will get a Feb launch, it won’t be in shops until April."

Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg has reportedly already commented that he's looking to make a lot of noise at MWC 2011 with the launch of a new device – a stance that tallies perfectly with the apparent insight given by Pocket-lint's sources.

However, it's worth mentioning that online speculation already proposed December 9 as PlayStation Phone's big reveal – a date that came and went without official comment.

Other commentators have also suggested that the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January is a more likely launch venue.

[source: Pocket-lint]