Sony's NeoGeo Pocket's (PSP2/Vita) business/non technical ramifications talk

[wco81]

This isn't the time to buy a tablet.

The Android manufacturers showed a lot of tablets at CES which won't be available until a couple of months from now. Around the same time the iPad 3 is expected as well.

 

[liolio]

This isn't the time to buy a tablet.

The Android manufacturers showed a lot of tablets at CES which won't be available until a couple of months from now. Around the same time the iPad 3 is expected as well.

Not to mention the rumors about a Google 7" tablet intended to compete with Amazon Kindle Fire

 

[patsu]

For the new v1.52 Vita update:
http://andriasang.com/comzns/vita_firmware_update/

Sony did not say what exactly the update fixes. However, a number of Vita owners are saying via Twitter and blogs and so-forth that the update fixes a version 1.51 bug where the 3G system would not recognize your SIM card.

New PlayStation Vita Firmware Fixes Criminal Girls Glitch
http://andriasang.com/comzo1/criminal_girls_vita_glitch/

An early PlayStation Vita backwards compatibility fatality was Criminal Girls, which was removed from Sony's official backwards compatibility shortly after the system's debut late last year due to sound issues.

The PSP RPG and its erotic undertones are back alive and well today. Nippon Ichi posted notice that the system's version 1.52 firmware fixes the sound issues ...

 

[Gradthrawn]

New PlayStation Vita Firmware Fixes Criminal Girls Glitch
http://andriasang.com/comzo1/criminal_girls_vita_glitch/

Pre-order un-cancelled.

 

[Arwin]

This isn't the time to buy a tablet.

The Android manufacturers showed a lot of tablets at CES which won't be available until a couple of months from now. Around the same time the iPad 3 is expected as well.

I agree, you need to wait at least until all the Android 4.0 dust has settled, and see what tablets run that well. And iPad 3 will likely help lower prices for iPad 2 (while available) and various competitors as well.

I could imagine though that Apple keeps selling the iPad 2 next to the iPad 3, if the latter has such a big boost in resolution. They may not, given their history, but it could be a good strategy if they want to expand their market further.

 

[babybumb]

I really doubt Sony is losing money on current Japanese retail prices if you look at the BOM of something like iPhone 4S BOM. It´s under $200 with memory onboard. http://www.isuppli.com/Teardowns/Ne...8,-IHS-iSuppli-Teardown-Analysis-Reveals.aspx

For the US 3G model i doubt it as well. WiFi model @ $249 they probably lose some.

 

[Arwin]

I really doubt Sony is losing money on current Japanese retail prices if you look at the BOM of something like iPhone 4S BOM. It´s under $200

For the US 3G model i doubt it as well. WiFi model @ $249 they probably lose some.

I also don't think they lose money, but it's not impossible. The iPhone 4S may actually be cheaper to make, as don't forget the Vita has a lot more powerful hardware. The AMOLED screen on the VITA has a similar resolution but it's quite a bit bigger (5" vs 3.5"). It has a 4 Core A9, 4 Core GPU, loads more control inputs and options. Sure some bits are significantly poorer (camera), but the big stuff is clearly more expensive.

 

[patsu]

PlayStation Vita Sales Fall Below 20,000
http://andriasang.com/comzom/media_create_sales/

For the week spanning January 9 through January 15, Media Create reports sales of 18,361 units for the system, down from last week's 42,915 units.

Vita's sales progression since launch looks like this:

324,859 -> 72,479 -> 42,648 -> 42,915 -> 18,361

Vita wasn't alone in seeing a post holiday drop. 3DS fell over 50% to just above the 100,000 mark. PS3 and PSP also saw drops, but remained above the Vita in overall sales.

Here's the full hardware chart for 1/9 to 1/15, with last week's sales in parentheses.

1. 3DS: 100,668 (240,819)
2. PS3: 30,332 (74,459)
3. PSP: 22,538 (71,033)
4. PSV: 18,361 (42,915)
5. Wii: 14,179 (49,525)
6. DSi LL: 1,515 (3,971)
7. X360: 1,519 (2,738)
8. DSi: 1,206 (3,565)
9. PS2: 766 (1,323)

 

[Arwin]

I guess the only upside is that it fell less than most, at least percentage wise?

In Japan this thing will need some killer software though, and a price drop, before it can properly take off, pretty much as the 3DS did I guess. Right now, the Vita is much more clearly aimed at the West.

 

[patsu]

While looking for MP4+ info, I found this interesting, headache-inducing article:

"From the core to a broad audience"
http://translate.google.com/transla...ess.co.jp/docs/series/rt/20111215_499020.html

Andrew House talks about "socializing" core games, and bridging casual gamers over.

Besides the 4 launch social apps (Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Skype), it sounds like they have announced Flickr service for Vita (in Japan only ?). House says more will come later.

The Facebook support in PS3 Photo Gallery is quite nice (but somewhat clumsy and hidden). It uses a Timeline metaphor with face analysis that predates FaceBook's own effort. It's just too bad Sony doesn't seem to know how to integrate these things into one exclusive experience.

Flickr for PlayStation Vita hands-on (video)
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/19/2717877/flickr-playstation-vita-hands-on-video

The Flickr app for PlayStation Vita popped up in the Japanese PlayStation Store today, so we thought we'd check it out. It's a free download, and works like any other Vita app — downloading it installs an application to the home screen with its own LiveArea from which you start it up. ...

(Flickr video inside)


[size=-2]Doubt these standalone social apps will make a big difference to Vita though...[/size]

 

[Arwin]

That actually looks really good! Now the Youtube and Facebook Apps and we're getting somewhere.

 

[wco81]

But the camera is suppose to be crap right?

 

[patsu]

Yap !

Video is 120fps at 320X240 when operating in QVGA, and 60fps at 640X480 in VGA.
Photo is 640X480 (VGA).

Both cameras have the same spec, and are optimized for motion games.

YouTube integration would still be welcomed though. In Japan, gamers will be able to stream live Vita games to Nico Nico video service. In US, someone would want to upload recorded game footage to YouTube at least.

For family media, the announced PlayMemories service will integrate home media from assorted PS Suite and iOS/Android devices into one media ecosystem. You can use better cameras on other devices to build up your library, then edit on PS3 or PC, and view on all devices.

 

[patsu]

That actually looks really good! Now the Youtube and Facebook Apps and we're getting somewhere.

FaceBook app support is official. Vita YouTube's fate is unknown at this point in time.

I'd much prefer Sony and FB work out more seamless integration. FaceBook's new Timeline + Action announcements sound interesting from entertainment perspective.

 

[NavNucST3]

AT&T Rate/Limit Increases

...
The wireless giant raised the cost of its lowest-tier data package to $20 per month, up from $15 -- a 33% price hike. AT&T (T, Fortune 500) offered a carrot alongside the stick: It increased the amount of data in that plan to 300 megabytes per month, up from 200 MB.
In the low-tier plan, the extra megabytes will give users access to about an hour more of streaming video, or 300 more posts to social media sites.

AT&T's higher-tier plan was also hiked to $30 a month, up from $25 -- a 20% increase. Those users will now get 3 gigabytes of data per month. Under the old plan, they only got 2 GB of data.

For tablets like Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPad, customers can choose between a $15 per month plan for 250 MB, a $30 a month plan for 3 GB or a $50 a month plan for 5 GB.
...

 

[patsu]

That article had a mistake:

Correction:An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that AT&T had eliminated the $15 for 250 MB tablet plan. AT&T will continue to offer that plan for tablet customers.

The (minimum) fee has not changed for Vita yet. It's the same plan as AT&T's tablet customers.


What's more interesting may be an earlier talk:

AT&T CONFIRMS SHARED PLANS FOR SMARTPHONES, TABLETS
http://www.billingworld.com/news/2011/06/at-t-confirms-shared-data-plans-for-smartphones-t.aspx

In another nail in the coffin for the unlimited data era, AT&T is eyeing the possibility of moving to shared data plans for smartphones, tablets and other connected devices, it has confirmed.

"I think once you have so many devices that you're carrying, you may want a shared plan," said Ralph de la Vega, AT&T Mobility’s CEO, said at a conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. "The more focus groups that we do, the more we think that may be the way."

Shared voice minutes are nothing new of course, but buckets of shared data is a new billing species for the United States. But it may just be the way of the future in a world where households will find themselves with 10, 12, 15 or more connected devices. A separate data plan for each running $15-$60 apiece plus overages would prove to be prohibitively expensive for most families — a fact that would likely hamper the connected market as it matures.

There is no firm date or solidified plan for the shift, but more than likely the pricing will come in tiers for buckets of shareable Gigabytes.

 

[RudeCurve]

I've been wanting shared plans for a long time now since it benefits me a lot as I could upgrade to more devices for other family members that don't use a lot of data and not have to pay a data plan for each and every device.

 

[wco81]

Now that 720p smart phones have started appearing and even higher resolution tablets are due, Vita's prospects as a multimedia device are even more dim.

 

[patsu]

Battery life ! My iPhone 4S runs out of juice every day without me gaming on it yet.

At some point, it will become an ecosystem and interoperability question.

I've been wanting shared plans for a long time now since it benefits me a lot as I could upgrade to more devices for other family members that don't use a lot of data and not have to pay a data plan for each and every device.

Yap, prepay and shared data plans are both important !

Shared data plan for access within the country. Prepay for traveling.

 

[Bigduo209]

Now that 720p smart phones have started appearing and even higher resolution tablets are due, Vita's prospects as a multimedia device are even more dim.

What does 720p have to do with the Vita? It can play the same resolution video, just not in different formats.

The limits for the PSV as a multimedia device has more to do with firmware updates and pricey limited storage. Everything aside from actual phone functionality is doable on the PSV, how good the PSV handles media and apps depends entirely on how Sony (and 3rd parties) supports the device.