@sagexsdx, I doubt Microsoft will be in a huge hurry to the next Xbox. It and the PS3 are neck and neck in the graphics race and software right now is the money maker on the Xbox - announcing/releasing a new Xbox this soon would hurt the software ecosystem that Microsoft currently has set-up. Also, software is always one of the largest - if not the largest - things that can boost hardware sales and Sony would be better off on focusing on getting appealing software on the platform than taking time to release a slim version that can be held off until a later year.
@Just_Ben, Yes, but Sony can implement all of those things without having to slim down the case. If they slimmed down the case, they would have to get the factories set-up to manufacture with the new case. Also, at this point Sony can always produce new SKUs that do not rely on the inevitable slim version and can hold the slim version until 2009. This year, I think it would be best to try and go ahead to get the hardware sales of the PS3 up through software releases, colors, online services, larger HDDs, and marketing - all things that Sony appears to either be already doing or looking into.
I believe that Sony would be best in holding the slim PS3 until 2009 and use the high profile releases in the first half of the year to propel the platform into a good starting point for the second half of the year. A PS3 that matches up in price directly to the 360 and has a stronger software library would be better for sales this year rather than a major hardware revision.
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I doubt Microsoft will be in a huge hurry to the next Xbox. It and the PS3 are neck and neck in the graphics race and software right now is the money maker on the Xbox - announcing/releasing a new Xbox this soon would hurt the software ecosystem that Microsoft currently has set-up. Also, software is always one of the largest - if not the largest - things that can boost hardware sales and Sony would be better off on focusing on getting appealing software on the platform than taking time to release a slim version that can be held off until a later year.
@Just_Ben,
Yes, but Sony can implement all of those things without having to slim down the case. If they slimmed down the case, they would have to get the factories set-up to manufacture with the new case. Also, at this point Sony can always produce new SKUs that do not rely on the inevitable slim version and can hold the slim version until 2009. This year, I think it would be best to try and go ahead to get the hardware sales of the PS3 up through software releases, colors, online services, larger HDDs, and marketing - all things that Sony appears to either be already doing or looking into.
I believe that Sony would be best in holding the slim PS3 until 2009 and use the high profile releases in the first half of the year to propel the platform into a good starting point for the second half of the year. A PS3 that matches up in price directly to the 360 and has a stronger software library would be better for sales this year rather than a major hardware revision.