The Sony PlayStation 3 was released to the general public in November 2006. Earning respect for its advanced specification, Blu-ray disk playing abilities and free wi-fi, it quickly became one of the must have gadgets, but it also earned some criticism because of its high retail price. Despite a price reduction around a year after launch, both consumers and games developers kept up the pressure on Sony for a price reduction to bring it closer to its chief rival the Microsoft Xbox 360. This was easier said than done for Sony who were loosing money on each unit sold with many speculating that it would have to wait until it could produce a slimmed down and cheaper to manufacture version of the PS3. This strategy would somewhat mirror what it did with the re-launch of the PS2 slim some years before.
There had been much rumour in the technology press about the Sony Corporation developing a revised PlayStation 3 games console. These rumours started with gadgets websites publishing supposedly 'leaked' pictures of a slimmed-down PS3. They looked a little fake and there was much scepticism about the reality of a new, slim version of the console appearing until the website which published the pictures received legal documentation from a company that manufactures the PS3 for Sony. This documentation demanded the removal of the pictures, but the more important element of this correspondence was that it added a whole lot of credibility to the validity of the pictures. Although they were removed, they spread through the internet and the rumours failed to go away.
Other information to fuel rumours came from the UK's Daily Telegraph, who reported that Sony had placed a huge order for PS3 components - enough to build twice as many units as they had normally been selling. This obviously suggested something was afoot. What would lead Sony to think they suddenly needed twice the number of consoles than they were already selling? Something looked set to fuel demand, either in the form of a significant price reduction or a new version of the console, or even both.
More evidence came, some from retailers but most of it from industry experts all pointing towards the announcement of a Slim PS3. These are just some of the elements which we will look at in the next and final article in this series.
The author is a respected technology journalist specialising in the games console scene. He is the owner of an independent website devoted to bringing you news and views on the future of the Slim PS3 games console. Also make sure you are up to date in the world of gadgets by getting the latest free gadgets, just by visiting one of our favourite technology websites.
Author: Mac Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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