Rumor: Slim PS3 on the way?

[Crossbar]

July is tomorrow. Putting in order only recently seems too late. There may be some elements of truth in that article but unless Sony has locked in their order months and months ago, I don't think we can see Slim in July.

Where did you get your translation? My google translation talks about "Upstream component makers" and "Hon Hai Heshuo won pie with 50 percent of all orders", bear in mind it is a google translation.

That could mean component deliveries to the assembly lines of who ever is manufacturing the units.

 

[patsu]

Like how I translated Japanese myself...

上游零組件廠商透露，新力新款PS3遊戲機代工訂單上周正式拍板，

According to upstream component suppliers, Sony's new PS3 game console outsourcing contract/order has been awarded/started last week.

其中鴻海與和碩分食各50%訂單，預計從7月開始出貨，以因應暑假需求

... of which, Foxconn and Pegatron shared 50% orders each, estimated to ship in July, to meet Summer demand.


This is back end order. Even if true, we probably won't see the Slims in July. It is also possible that the reporter screwed up, mistaking the component shipping date for the PS3's shipping date.

Sony needs to plug their component suppliers' mouths.

 

[2real4tv]

I dunno after the psp go I'am not so sure Sony will drop the price. You would think that would be the obvious but the increase in price for the new psp has me a little confused.

 

[obonicus]

I dunno after the psp go I'am not so sure Sony will drop the price. You would think that would be the obvious but the increase in price for the new psp has me a little confused.

They already have a budget PSP that they actually make money off of. They can cut its price if they want to. If you want the shiny new thing, you pay shiny new thing prices.

 

[zed]

I dunno after the psp go I'am not so sure Sony will drop the price. You would think that would be the obvious but the increase in price for the new psp has me a little confused.

I think that had everyone confused, the new psp should be the same price or even cheaper to make, yet they raise the price?!?

OTOH about the ps3lim I wouldnt drop the price until ~october, claw back some of the ~$3billion they lost on the ps3 so far

 

[2real4tv]

I am thinking ps3 slim at the same price with ps2 emulator pre-installed via firmware update.

 

[Arwin]

I think that had everyone confused, the new psp should be the same price or even cheaper to make, yet they raise the price?!?

It still comes with 16GB though. Do you know I actually dreamed about the PSP Go tonight? I'm not even that into it, I think it's because it was discussed on a podcast I listened to on Monday. I dreamed that it had very good sound, thanks to the speakers that are now on the front rather than the side and have larger openings. This is actually something that interests me - would be interested to know what it sounds like, I mean.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Could the news be just that Sony has re-negotiated the contracts for the current PS3 model, and has little to do with the rumoured "PS3 Slim"?

 

[Crossbar]

I actually dreamed about the PSP Go tonight

I think you are in need of a vacation away from consoles.

 

[patsu]

Could the news be just that Sony has re-negotiated the contracts for the current PS3 model, and has little to do with the rumoured "PS3 Slim"?

Note that the article may be misreporting. Assuming the article is true, it also talks about a change in PS3: Slimmer and lighter.

據了解，此次新力即將推出的PS3新機屬於小改款，外型比前一代機種更加輕薄，這也將是新力明年推出新世代遊戲主機前，PS3的最後一次改款

"Based on our understanding, this upcoming model is classified as a small change. It is lighter and slimmer. It is also the last model change before Sony introduces a next gen console next year".

This line should raise quite a few alarms. It's best to take the article as a rumor and only a rumor. The reporter may have taken information from various unverified sources. I don't think Sony wants to release a next gen console next year.

 

[Prophecy2k]

Note that the article may be misreporting. Assuming the article is true, it also talks about a change in PS3: Slimmer and lighter.



"Based on our understanding, this upcoming model is classified as a small change. It is lighter and slimmer. It is also the last model change before Sony introduces a next gen console next year".

This line should raise quite a few alarm. It's best to take the article as a rumor and only a rumor. The reporter may have taken information from various unverified sources. I don't think Sony wants to release a next gen console next year.

I think you're probably right patsu... that last bit sure had me a little worried though.

With Sony being in last place with the PS3 and still losing money on each unit sold (until they release the slim of course) it makes you wonder whether Sony might just do a Microsoft and pre-emptively usher in the next generation with brand new tech.

I sure hope not though... *hugs his 60GB PS3*

 

[patsu]

it makes you wonder whether Sony might just do a Microsoft and pre-emptively usher in the next generation with brand new tech

I doubt they can change so soon. Developers are just starting to make better use of PS3 (Cell, GPU, HDD, split memory, SIXAXIS).

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Well, a PS3.5 using the same core systems, Cell + nVidia, wouldn't be a chore to adapt to. But it'd be a bad move I'm sure.

 

[Prophecy2k]

Well, a PS3.5 using the same core systems, Cell + nVidia, wouldn't be a chore to adapt to. But it'd be a bad move I'm sure.

I was gonna say this too... Although I really doubt they would do it, especially not next year. They'd be pretty much killing off their own PS3 business, especially with the PS3 lagging a little behind the 360 in 3rd place this generation.

It's more likely that with the release of the slim they'd be breaking even on each console sold, if not even making a profit. By shifting slim units at a lower retail price (post Sept price drop ) and releasing the motion controller peripheral next year, they should be able to bring themselves slowly back into the green by late 2010/early 2011. Which would set them up quite nicely to begin pushing for a 2012/2013 release of the PS4.

You heard it here first people

 

[rekator]

For a release of a Slim version you need composants with low heat…
Have we got some news infomations for the die-shrink of Cell and RSX and their heats?

 

[dobwal]

July is tomorrow. Putting in order only recently seems too late. There may be some elements of truth in that article but unless Sony has locked in their order months and months ago, I don't think we can see Slim in July.

Yeah, it would seem odd to introduce a new redesign of your product (PSP) at E3 that won't see release until Oct and Nov, while releasing no info on a new redesign of another related product thats due for release way before a Oct or Nov date.

At the earliest I see the PS3 Slim as a holiday release and I wouldn't be surprise if we don't see until spring 2010.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Yeah, it would seem odd to introduce a new redesign of your product (PSP) at E3 that won't see release until Oct and Nov, while releasing no info on a new redesign of another related product thats due for release way before a Oct or Nov date.

Different deivces though. PSP Go! offers a different experience to PSP, with no UMD drive. It's a different machine. People considering a PSP won't naturally buy a PSP Go instead, especially at a higher pricepoint. Whereas a PS3 slim is exactly a PS3. If you are thinking of getting a PS3, and PS3 slim is announced, you'll wait. It makes sense to let the supply channels dry out before introducing a replacement.

As for a price drop, it'd behoove Sony to keep the price the same and make maximum profit on early purchases, and introduce the price drop after that sector has been catered to and we hit holiday period. So my guess is PS3 Slim before too long at the current price, and a price drop in November or thereabouts.

 

[obonicus]

Yeah, it would seem odd to introduce a new redesign of your product (PSP) at E3 that won't see release until Oct and Nov, while releasing no info on a new redesign of another related product thats due for release way before a Oct or Nov date.

But I don't think the announcement of the PSP Go! at $250 really will hurt PSP sales -- they seem to be targetting different demographics. A slim PS3 and the price-cut that people expect, whether made explicit or not, might. If we don't see anything at GC I think that's it, then it's only a Holiday release.

Edit: what Shifty said.

 

[jonabbey]

I can't believe Sony would introduce a slim at the current price point, unless they've added features to it.

If they want to make a cheaper PS3 and sell it at the current price point, they can just use cheaper innards in the current form factor. Sony has always dropped the price significantly when their slim models come out, and given the position they have in the competitive market place, they have to be planning a big price push as soon as they possibly can.

Especially with all the ancillary revenues they can capture through PSN these days. Games for sale online, video for rent and for sale online, Home clothing.. all of that argues for a lower entry price just as soon as they can manage it.

 

[dobwal]

Different deivces though. PSP Go! offers a different experience to PSP, with no UMD drive. It's a different machine. People considering a PSP won't naturally buy a PSP Go instead, especially at a higher pricepoint. Whereas a PS3 slim is exactly a PS3. If you are thinking of getting a PS3, and PS3 slim is announced, you'll wait. It makes sense to let the supply channels dry out before introducing a replacement.

As for a price drop, it'd behoove Sony to keep the price the same and make maximum profit on early purchases, and introduce the price drop after that sector has been catered to and we hit holiday period. So my guess is PS3 Slim before too long at the current price, and a price drop in November or thereabouts.

Different experience? They just snatched out the UMD drive and gave it some internal memory. Hardly a different experience especially considering that UMD hasn't been much of a success and there seems to be a relatively healthy segment of owners who use their memory sticks for their PSP content.

The only reason to keep the original PSP is that 100% of the market does not have access to broadband and/or Wifi. You could snatch out the DVD of the 360 and offer a digital download only sku. You wouldn't change the experience much just the method of content delivery and storage.