Sony Ericsson launches mobile content kiosks in Asia

Sony Ericsson is launching an initiative called PlayNow Kiosk in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, which involves selling mobile games and other content to mobile users through kiosks in its retail stores.

The kiosks are launching initially in 80 stores across the region, and will only work with Sony Ericsson handsets.

"The competition is getting tougher so therefore we need to differentiate ourselves from our competitors," the company's Asia Pacific boss Hirokazu Ishizuka tells AFP. "This is the solution, we will provide a mobile entertainment experience which nobody can do."

In truth, the music and movie content is likely to be the main focus for the new service, but the fact that games are included is good news for the mobile games industry, which is keen to find new off-deck distribution channels.

However, PlayNow Kiosk will be a stronger proposition once the kiosks aren't just in Sony Ericsson stores - where realistically people only go when they're thinking of buying a new phone - and instead are out in the wider world.