• Sony to buy out Ericsson of phone venture

The Global Mail said that Sony has dropped the "Ericsson" brand from its latest line of mobile phones, marking the final market disappearance of the Swedish technology giant which invented the "smart phone."

The move follows Ericsson’s announcement in October that it would sell its share in the joint venture for $1.47 billion. The Japanese-Swedish groups joined forces in October 2001, and were among the top telephone companies worldwide in the mid-2000s.

The new smart phone Xperia S is the first phone the Japanese company has launched under its own brand.