Sir Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony, shown above in one of his rare performances, is reporting that Sony Ericsson is having quite a bit of trouble staying together. The company, founded as a joint venture in 2001, aimed to shore up Ericsson’s failing handset business with Sony’s design know how. Now, however, the companies are having difficulties producing products due to breakdowns in communication. The real knife to the gut?

Will Sony Ericsson still exist in three years’ time?

Stringer: We have to work together again as we did two years ago or the joint venture will have to find its own solution.

S-E has been having a heck of a time getting phones to market in the U.S. and they’re actually fairly rare in Europe where the Ericsson brand was strongest. Here’s hoping the X1 series actually produces something anyone would want or Sir Howard will have to hit the streets again with the Beasties.