Sony to Cut PlayStation 3 Price to $399 – Rumour

[zippyjuan]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20070910133829.html

Sony to Cut PlayStation 3 Price to $399 – Rumour.
Sony’s PlayStation 3 Rumoured to Be Available for $399

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 09/10/2007 | 01:40 PM ]


In a bid to improve sales of the worst-selling new-generation game console, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is rumoured to introduce a new low-cost PlayStation 3 flavour and sell it for $399 this holiday season. If the information is correct, move will allow gamers to start playing the PS3 for a considerably lower amount of money than previously.



The game console lineup that SCEI plans to offer this holiday season includes PlayStation 3 80GB for $499, PlayStation 3 40GB for $399 and PlayStation 2 for $99, reports Ars Technica web-site. In addition, at least the most expensive PlayStation 3 version will include Spider Man movie in Blu-ray format to further popularize the console among teenagers.

Sales of Sony PlayStation 3 have been much slower compared to Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii mostly because of the price-point that was nearly as high as the price of the two competitors combined. At $399 Sony’s PlayStation 3 would still be a bit more expensive compared to Microsoft Xbox 360 premium package, however, Sony would be able to say that besides gaming it also offers Blu-ray disc player.

Last year Sony lost up to $241 on every PlayStation 3 60GB game console, but over the year the company performed a number of measures to reduce the production cost of $840. For example, Sony removed PlayStation 2 hardware from PS3, reducing the cost by $27. Moreover, over the year different components of Sony PlayStation 3 also lost in price, which could lead to a substantial price reduction. For example, Microsoft succeeded in cutting the cost of the Xbox 360 by as much as 38.5% in the first year, from $525 to $323, according to some estimates. If Sony manages to achieve the same, the manufacturing cost of a PlayStation 3 with 60GB hard drive, but without PS2 hardware, would be around $490.

Sony PlayStation 3 console is based on the Cell processor developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba, the RSX graphics chip by Nvidia Corp., wireless network and Bluetooth connectivity and is equipped with Blu-ray optical disk drive. There are several versions of the consoles available around the world with 60GB or 80GB hard disk drives and variable compatibility with PlayStation 1/2 games.

Officials from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. did not comment on the news-story.

[InfiniteNothing]

You think they'll offer rebates like apple did to the early adopters ? ;)

[ray]

I thought those apple "rebates" were just coupons for $100 off other Apple products. Since most apple products are priced over $100, you're still hosed if you ask me.

[InfiniteNothing]

Better than nothing. At worst, you can probably sell your coupon on ebay.

[johnnymk]

It's really amazing how something can go from a must-have to a dud in such a short period of time, especially when the item is not affordable in the first place.

[uncledaddy]

It's really amazing how something can go from a must-have to a dud in such a short period of time, especially when the item is not affordable in the first place.

Agreed. SPS3, iPhone.

[Maarchk]

Agreed. SPS3, iPhone.

But is the Iphone a dud? Isn't it selling like crazy? I dont know why they lowered the price.. do we know if it was just to keep the sales going crazy or if they were actually faltering in sales?

I think both the PS3 and Iphone are overpriced, but I don't think they are comparable products.

[smeakim]

They lowered it becuase of the ipod touch. The price point then is 4gb phone for 399 or 16GB touch for 399. You get all the same features with the touch except the phone.

[zippyjuan]

They have already sold a million iPhones.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20070910150908.html

Sales of Apple iPhone Reach Million.
Apple Sells One Millionth iPhone, But Will It Sell Ten Millionth in 2008?

Category: Multimedia

by Anton Shilov

[ 09/10/2007 | 03:11 PM ]


Apple on Monday announced that it had sold-in one million of iPhone cell phones. The company claims that it took only 74 days to sell this number of devices. However, is that really a lot?


“One million iPhones in 74 days – it took almost two years to achieve this milestone with iPod. We can’t wait to get this revolutionary product into the hands of even more customers this holiday season,” said Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple.

Earlier this year AT&T, the only carrier that sells iPhones in the U.S., said it sold 176 thousand of Apple’s cell phones in the first two days. Keeping in mind the rush sales of iPhone, it is hard to believe that Apple sold less than a half of that number. Therefore, sales of Apple iPhone have been gradually decreasing over the following 72 days of sales to about 10.8 thousand of iPhones sold daily in average.

While Apple yet has to launch the cell phone in Asia and Europe, current dynamics of iPhone sales indicates that the much-anticipated device is not successful on the market. Perhaps, 10.8 thousand of phones sold daily in a little more than two first months is not a bad result. But the company decided to reduce the pricing on its iPhone by 33% in order to “make it affordable for even more customers” just 69 days after the introduction, an indicator which may mean that sales of the iPhone dropped well below average 10.8 thousand a day.

Apple once promised to sell as many as 10 million iPhone devices in 2008 and to achieve that goal Apple needs to sell 27.4 thousand of iPhones daily worldwide. While 10 million is a negligible number for the market of cell phones that may surpass one billion units a year milestone in 2007, it may turn out that the company will have a hard time achieving this goal.

[gwilks98]

so sad. I wish Sony would buy a clue...Sell a barebones unit without a hard drive, and let the user upgrade them how they want.

[DarkFury]

Wow... Sony really is putting it all out on the line to push it's "Blu Ray" agenda here.

That's one hell of a loss point to drop the price to... but I guess that is a better than losing the format battle in trying to get Blu Ray into the hands of more consumers.

[Jah Rulez]

At least Sony allows you to change the HD that comes with it without voiding the warranty. They even provide instructions on how to do it.

I think they figured that folks would do it anyway.