Sony may dip a toe into the Android world by launching a Walkman media player based on the Google-developed OS, it has emerged.

Japanese moles have claimed that Sony will launch such a device early next year, website Impress Watch says.

The same rumour has also been repeated by fellow Japanese website Nikkan, but with the added revelation that Sony is also preparing an Android-based satnav system.

Neither website has disclosed a source, so a healthy pinch of salt is advisable.

However, recent comments from an executive at Sony’s sister firm, Sony Ericsson, lend both claims credibility. Last month, Peter Ang, Sony Ericsson Asia Pacific's marketing chief, said that the company is preparing to launch Google phones running on Android 2.0 – aka Donut. ®