Feb 18, 2017 05:15 AM EST By Anne Kudrow, UniversityHerald Reporter

Sony is once again on the top news, the Japanese tech company has been rumored working on a new handheld game console. Sony has reportedly filed a new device patent that shows a handheld game console that looks pretty much the same in design with the much awaited hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch.

According to GameRant, which got the full details of the patent story, the folks from forum site Neogaf was very quick and have spotted the filed Sony patent for a new handheld device that reportedly no longer new. Reports said that the patent from Sony was originally filed back in 2015 but was only recently published online.

Meanwhile, the Japanese blog Esuteru.has managed to get images of the rumored Sony patent device. The Esuteru's reaction is quite interesting, with some curiosity inside. However, some analyst believes that the idea of Sony working on another new handheld was a bit pointless anyway since the PS4 is still strong in the market.

But recently posted images from the Japanese blog Esuteru seems to show a clear image of a handheld console, with a controller-like elements on each side of the screen that look pretty much the same with that of Nintendo Switch's removable controllers.

But unlike the Switch design, the Sony patented device does not use inversely identical controllers that can be detached and use for two player games. Instead, the diagram shows the right detachable controller has a right analog and four face buttons.

Additionally, the images also show that there are a mini-USB port, AC port and other features that seem to indicate that the controllers and tablet are all part of the same device.

The images clearly show that Sony might be planning to launch a new handheld device, and perhaps develop a competitor to the Nintendo Switch or a successor to the PlayStation Vita, which currently experienced increased competition in the market.

The filed patent device is likely a result of Sony looking into a successor to the struggling PlayStation Vita. The Sony-developed handheld device has managed to build a dedicated fan base over its six-year lifespan, and the device is very much in its twilight years now.

In addition to the lifespan, there are only a few new games that being developed for the PlayStation Vita. Sony has also announced that it would be ending PlayStation Now support for Vita, hinting that the company might be shifting its focus on more promising devices like the PlayStation 4.

But Given Sony's current position in the hotly contested console market, it's still tough to tell if the company would pursue and work on another handheld device. But if the upcoming hybrid console Nintendo Switch makes a huge hit in the market, the crowd might not surprise anymore if this patent device ends up turning into a real handheld device or a competitor to the Nintendo Switch.

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