No PS3 until Holiday 06?

cablekiller · 06-11-2005, 09:18 PM

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Howard Stringer, as you may know, is the CEO of Sony, and he decided to have a sit-down interview with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about Sony's entertainment ventures. It's not your standard tech fare; some of the answers are oblique, and the reporter's own comments in the article show a hint of technological naiveté (he calls a Memory Stick a "hard drive" in reference to the PSP). Nevertheless, there's some interesting stuff in here. First, a launch date for the Playstation 3. The article states it pretty matter-of-factly:

In a demonstration of the swift collaborative response to consumer-driven marketplace changes that a revitalized Sony can deliver, the company soon will unveil a line of compact, portable video devices to fill the time gap before PlayStation 3 launches in Japan in March and in the U.S. a year from now.
This suggests, obviously, a holiday 2006 launch for the PS3 in North America, several months after the Japanese debut. It also suggests that Sony is looking to bring more portable video units to market, although I wonder if they're not better off unbundling the PSP, and selling that as a media device. Whatever the case, it looks as though Sony will be relying on Memory Sticks in portable players, which leads me to believe that they won't compete well against the (video) iPod (the cost-per-Megabyte difference between the two is significant).

And what about price? While commenting on how the PS3 will bring Blu-ray support to the masses, Stringer indicated that Sony would be selling the PS3 at a loss partially for this very reason. "PS3 is a subsidized Blu-ray play that will sell 20 million units. The first HD player will be on the market for $1,000. PS3 could be at $300 or $400. Sony will be selling them at a loss the first six months to a year just to get Blu-ray players out in the market. So studios realize they need to have their content on it," he said. According to Stringer, the PS3—not the increased DRM found in the BD spec—is what drove so many studios to support Blu-ray over HD DVD (obviously excluding Twentieth Century Fox). The implication is that had Microsoft backed HD DVD early on, there'd be more competition between the two standards right now. I'm not sure I buy that. While Stringer claims that the HD DVD market will be suppressed under the cost of HD DVD players, HD DVD looks like it will have at least 8 months of a head start on the PS3. The success of HD DVD will likely rise and fall with the number of compelling HD DVD titles out there.
But wait, there's more. The current thinking in the console world right now is that the PS3 will not ship with a hard drive by default, but one will be available as an add-on. Behind closed doors there has been no shortage of chatter about the possibility that, add-on status aside, the PS3 could possibly be "bundled" in the US to include a hard drive at launch, making it almost a de facto base configuration. This theory got a pinch more interesting with another comment in the article.

In keeping with the PlayStation business model, PS3 will roll out at a loss for the first six months, then rapidly turn profits on game-license fees. PS3 will be bundled with a selection of preloaded films, TV programs and games and sell for between $300-$400. The key word there is "preloaded." The astute reader will ask, "preloaded onto what"? Assuming that the author isn't mistaking a few bundled Blu-ray discs as "preloads," I'd say we're talking about a hard drive.

Stringer also took some time to criticize Apple's video service designs, making some arguments that, in theory, sound quite good. "Why would someone want to pay $1.99 per download of one TV series episode on a closed system like a video iPod when they can transfer all the content they want from their own devices like DVRs to our multimedia portable player at no extra cost? Consumers already can do this with the PlayStation Portable," Stringer said.
(You just have to appreciate rhetoric, don't you? The words "closed system" coming out of a Sony bosses' mouth? Classic.) He does have a point, though. I already have my TiVo. I really don't care to pay $1.99 for a TV show that I can normally grab with my TiVo, provided my two tuners aren't already busy. But where is Sony going to swoop in on this? Leaving aside hacks, currently TiVoToGo is the only major option for those looking to take their TVs with them on specialized portably devices. So far, those devices are all based around Windows Mobile. Will Sony try to roll their own, or will they merely release another Windows Mobile device? Time will tell.

The interview is expansive and delves into a number of topics. Practically every paragraph or so there's something that could be analyzed and placed into context with what onlookers are expecting to see from Sony over the past year. With the above I've tried to touch on the most salient and interesting details, while avoiding going too far out on a limb.

Article from: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051105-5530.html

Jackal · 06-11-2005, 09:30 PM

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PS3 could be at $300 or $400. Sony will be selling them at a loss the first six months to a year just to get Blu-ray players out in the market.

No it won't. That would be one hell of a loss if it was that cheap.

Everybody knows that new technology cost money. With the PS3 we get the new Blu-ray player AND the new cell processor. Sorry but they don't just hand out this stuff for nothing. Also, considering that almost 60% of Sony's profit is in the PS3 I doubt they'd bend over like that.

jt_mares · 07-11-2005, 01:40 AM

of course sony will be selling them at aloss but w/ all the new tech they are trying to include it is rediculous to believe that they would be able to sell it at a competitve price towards the 360 which is taking a loss itself, and thats without relying on blu-ray tech

P Mack · 07-11-2005, 05:16 AM

Wow. PS3 for holiday 06. Might as well dig up its own grave right now. The PS3 from my reasoning will be $400 at cheapest $450 is more likely. Bare minimal equipment (PS3, controller, cable, mauals) and thats it. Why pay $400 for that when you could get a fully loaded Xbox 360 for that money.

Big_P · 07-11-2005, 06:12 AM

Thats right xbox all the way i lkike playstation 2 but xbox took over my likes for ps2 if i had a choice for a game system between ps3 and xbox 360 id go with xbox 360.

Cybergig1 · 07-11-2005, 07:13 AM

well if you go by the models on that latest analyst report I can see 400 being true. Since it showed the costs of the PS3 manufacturing wise to be like 480ish or whatever it was, may have been 465 can't remember it was last week but I remember looking at that report and thinking about how they mention 400 they would be losing about 60 bucks or so a unit. Which Microsoft has done and more before so its believable. Someone has it posted up here. So I could see them going the 400 route. Course then again I dont really care as when I do decide to get one it would be after a price drop or two.

Jeet · 07-11-2005, 02:38 PM

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Originally Posted by Jackal

No it won't. That would be one hell of a loss if it was that cheap.

Everybody knows that new technology cost money. With the PS3 we get the new Blu-ray player AND the new cell processor. Sorry but they don't just hand out this stuff for nothing. Also, considering that almost 60% of Sony's profit is in the PS3 I doubt they'd bend over like that.

nor really the xbox took a loss after they lowered the price, but they make it back in games and accessories

jt_mares · 07-11-2005, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cybergig1

well if you go by the models on that latest analyst report I can see 400 being true. Since it showed the costs of the PS3 manufacturing wise to be like 480ish or whatever it was, may have been 465 can't remember it was last week but I remember looking at that report and thinking about how they mention 400 they would be losing about 60 bucks or so a unit. Which Microsoft has done and more before so its believable. Someone has it posted up here. So I could see them going the 400 route. Course then again I dont really care as when I do decide to get one it would be after a price drop or two.

It could be in the 400 ballpark for retailers then but they want their take too so you are still going to be looking at the $500 range

P Mack · 07-11-2005, 03:33 PM

PS3 for 400 wouldn't be that bad actually. I would get it, but MS put out a better deal. The average gamer would choose the better deal. What would you chose:

Xbox 360 Premium

Xbox 360
Wireless controller
20 gig Hard drive
Xbox Live Headset
Ethernet cable
Chrome disc drive
HD/Composite cables

VS

PS3

A PS3
Wireless controller
Cables (HD or not is not determined)

Think about it.

Jackal · 07-11-2005, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeet

not really the xbox took a loss after they lowered the price, but they make it back in games and accessories

They Xbox didn't have the technology though the PS3 has. As I said, the cell and Blu-ray are new things we haven't seen yet anywhere. Sony has already spent millions working on, testing, and developing these things and I think they'd like to get some of that money back.

marcowilson · 10-11-2005, 03:31 PM

Actually I think there is another reason why Sony may want to move it to christmas 06. Since its harder to develop for than the xbox 360, they may also want to improve their software or make other software to make the PS3 easier to develop for.

GamerGurl79 · 11-11-2005, 06:04 AM

you for got the xbox360 universal remote

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pac Mack

PS3 for 400 wouldn't be that bad actually. I would get it, but MS put out a better deal. The average gamer would choose the better deal. What would you chose:

Xbox 360 Premium

Xbox 360
Wireless controller
20 gig Hard drive
Xbox Live Headset
Ethernet cable
Chrome disc drive
HD/Composite cables

VS

PS3

A PS3
Wireless controller
Cables (HD or not is not determined)

Think about it.

Double X · 11-11-2005, 06:34 AM

In a danish webshop the PS3 cost 5000 kr. witch it about 833 dollars... Thats fu***** expensive..

Man Whore · 12-11-2005, 12:15 PM

If sony drop the price of the ps3 it will crash the whole blueray market. if your going to sell the ps3 at 400, how much are they going to sell the regluar bluray dvd players.

plus every media format sony invents fails.....

Betamax
minidisc
bluray?

shadow82 · 14-11-2005, 02:04 AM

it dont matter if it comes out in 2008 it will still win the concole war maybe not buy as much as last time but i think we all know that x-box can not take out such a huge giant such as the ps3 with 2 concole runs

jt_mares · 14-11-2005, 02:08 AM

just watch, sony is going to have their legs cut out from under them during this coming gen then all you fanboys might learn somthing

shadow82 · 14-11-2005, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt_mares

just watch, sony is going to have their legs cut out from under them during this coming gen then all you fanboys might learn somthing

lol stop fooling urself if we could bet i would bet u everything i have that sony will still out run them this gen like i said it will be closer but theres is no ****ing way that ms will beat them this gen maybe just maybe 2 gens from now and y because gates is loaded and can aford to keep losing profit if sony was in ms shoes right now they would have already bailed out and y would u want that then ms can price up there systems to whatever they want cause theres no one else to compete with

jt_mares · 14-11-2005, 02:44 AM

well for starters if sony cant deliver a console pretty dam soon M$ is going to be on its way to its 3rd gen shortly after sony gets the pos3 out. when people find out that they will be paying only god knows how much for the console alone not to mention $70 a pop as far as games are concerned, a seasoned, cheaper, and more games available xbox is going to look a lot better to consumers. xbox was only ms's first attempt in the console world and once the shyness wore off about it people saw what a competitor that xbox was. So dont think that people will be doubting this time around. however the fact that you stated that you would bet everything that you have means that these words have fallen on deaf ears and its just a waste of time to bother with near-sighted children. We are open to opinions around here but keep it up and u'll wear out ur welcome rather quick, might want to try a ps3 site instead