Sony Ericsson Loss Narrows

Boosted by new smartphones and lower costs, Sony Ericsson narrowed its loss in the fourth quarter, reports Mobiledia.

The handset maker reported a loss of $236 million, compared with a loss of $264 million in the same quarter last year. But sales plunged 40 percent, to $2.47 billion.

The company sold 14.6 million phones during the quarter, an increase of 500,000 from the previous quarter, but it sold 24.2 million phones during the same period of 2008. And its flagship new products had software problems that tarnished the company's reputation, according to PCWorld.com.