http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/technology/story/sony-plans-slimmer-playstation-3-year-end-20120919
Sony is introducing a smaller, slimmer and lighter version of its PlayStation (PS) 3 home console ahead of the year-end holidays as it gears up for growing competition in games from smartphones.
The announcement on Wednesday from the Japanese electronics and entertainment company comes a day ahead of the annual Tokyo Game Show, where game makers show their wares. But the timing also coincides with Friday’s launch of the iPhone 5 smartphone, which is already drawing long lines at some retailers.
The new PS 3, closer to the size of a laptop, is half the size of the original model, introduced in 2006. It also offers more hard-drive memory at 500GB and 250GB, up from the current 320GB and 160GB options.
The global roll-out starts Sept 25 in North America, where the 250GB version will sell for US$269 (S$329). The other version sells for US$299 from Oct 30. In Japan, the models go on sale Oct 4 for 29,980 yen and 24,980 yen.
Tokyo-based Sony is struggling as its other electronics businesses get battered by competition from Apple’s iPhone models as well as by cheaper Asian rivals.
The company is banking on games to help steer a turnaround. President Kazuo Hirai has shaped much of his career by leading the game division.
To woo consumers, Sony is slashing the price on its PS Portable (PSP) mobile device as it increasingly moves on to focus on its upgraded PS Vita, which went on sale last year, for on-the-go games.
Some speculation is buzzing about a PlayStation 4, possibly before the end of next year, but officials were mum on that topic.
The PS Vita, which has a touch-panel, allows users to live-stream video and works as an electronic book function for colourful comics, according to Sony.
Mr Hiroshi Kawano, who heads Sony’s game business in Japan, said the networking feature of PS 3 allows users to enjoy millions of tunes, karaoke at home and a growing library of movies.
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