Domain registrations hint at closer Microsoft-Sony ties

Stephen Withers
Monday, 18 July 2011 12:56

IT Industry - Listed Tech

Microsoft registered the domains microsoft-sony.com and sony-microsoft.com last week. Why?

When word spread that Microsoft had registered the domains microsoft-sony.com and sony-microsoft.com, a company spokesperson said the move was "just a defensive domain hold." Perhaps - but a unilateral registration of two domains containing the name of another company - especially one that is sometimes a partner (Windows on Sony computers) and sometimes an arch-rival (Xbox vs Playstation) - seems a risky play.

Much initial speculation focused on the possibility of the two companies collaborating on a future game console - an idea that iTWire's Mike Bantick has previously canvassed.

But it's not that other possibilities sound any more believable. For example, Sony-Ericsson has previously indicated a disinclination to make a Windows Phone 7 handset as Microsoft's detailed specifications make it difficult to compete on anything but price.

microsoft-sony.com redirects to a Bing search for microsoft-sony. As of this writing, sony-microsoft.com does not resolve.