I suspect the title could be a bit misleading. I think they meant to say Sony will be releasing a m43-like camera, but I think it likely it will be their own design.

The difference here is they can survive comparatively easily in isolation - much like with DSLRs you don't need an industry standard to survive providing you do make solid products and get them out. Sony already have both ends covered from compacts to DSLRs, as an organisation they have most if not all the resources needed to make their own m43-like camera practically in house. m43 is still very young as a platform, so they wont be that far behind. The game is far from over, it has barely started.

Let's think about what they do have: body based stabilisation like Olympus, so already they're one up on Panasonic. I've not used modern Sony compacts, so I don't know what their contrast AF is like. The latest consumer DSLRs (A5xx) have caught up with Canikon in high ISO performance. Personally I hope they don't have the horrible focus by wire lens system. I prefer a mechanically linked ring to lens any day. I'd jump ship faster than you can say "permission to come aboard" if they did an E-P1 equivalent like that.

Have you handled a prime lens from Sony which carries the CZ logo? Do you know how heavy it is? Mounting it on something like a M4/3 will be quite ridiculous with the lens topping over each time you held it. Furthermore the body will have to be strengthen just to accomodate the lens mount.