Call of Duty PS4 Console (Photo : Facebook )
Sony has been rumored to launch a new and improved PlayStation console with better graphics, more storage, and 4K ultra high definition (UHD) Blu-ray discs. The Japanese corporation has confirmed the reports about PS4 Neo/PS4K, but also said it will not be unveiled at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show that starts on June 14, Tuesday.
The PS4 Neo will reportedly include a version of AMD's future Polaris architecture. It will have up to twice the GPU cores, and either an upgraded version of the PS4's Jaguar SoC or a rumored "Zen Lite" core.
Andrew House is president and group CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). He confirmed that "PS 4.5" will have a higher price tag than the current PS4 system that costs $350. The new version will probably hit retail stores for at least $400.
House explained that the PS4 Neo will not replace the standard PS4 but instead work with it. Both units will be sold during the entire life cycle.
The target market of the new PS4 will reportedly be owners of 4K content who want gaming with higher resolutions. A pricier console could provide higher profit margins and pay for the new GPU.
Sony wants PS4 Neo to provide the best gaming experience. House explained the new console will not be introduced at E3 so the company can make more improvements.
SIE's chief executive also stated that all PS4 games will run on both platforms. Nearly all games will support both the standard PS4 and PS4 Neo, according to ExtremeTech.
House also verified that the PlayStation VR headset will support both platforms. However, he did not announce if it would be released concurrently with the new PS4 console.
SIE's CEO also suggested that Sony would use the so-called "iPhone model" so only a limited number of hardware setups are supported at one time.
A focus on Day 1 profits caused Sony to lose up to $300 on every PS3 console sold. Meanwhile, Microsoft lost less money on Xbox 360 units.
In related news, Microsoft could introduce a compact version of its Xbox One console known as Xbox One Slim at E3, according to VentureBeat. However, it is unlikely to unveil the rumored Xbox One Scorpio that would challenge PS4 Neo.
Here's a preview of PS VR:
