Analysts: PlayStation 3 SuperSlim Could Shift Sony Fortunes

Hardware maker Sony has not yet officially announced the existence of the PlayStation 3 SuperSlim, but analysts believe that the new device could be a success for the company as long as the price stays close to 200 dollars or Euro and the 16 GB flash drive is a reality.

Lewis Ward, who works for IDC Research, reports, “I have no idea about the bill of materials but my understanding is that flash memory is disruptively inexpensive to manufacture. I don't think it makes a lot of sense though for Sony to deliver a SKU that retails for much less than Microsoft's 4GB Xbox 360 bundle, 200 dollars.”

Jesse Divnich, who is working for EEDAR, states, “The potential for new hardware seems plausible this far into the PlayStation 3 launch, and most certainly the PlayStation 3 has suffered by not having an entry-level SKU. I am, however, shocked by the rumored price. If these rumors are true, it could shift the tides into their favor into 2013.”

The analyst believes that about 20 percent of the sales of the Xbox 360 are linked to the lowest priced version and sees Sony matching that amount with its rumored new device.

Billy Pidgeon, of M2 Research, considers that a lot of the success of the PlayStation 3 SuperSlim will be linked to its price point, but Sony can tweak that by simply adding more content to the bundle if the market fails to make it a success at first.

Moreover, the analysts are of the opinion that the launch of a new hardware version of the PlayStation 3 will make the regular Slim cheaper, which might also make the coming Christmas shopping period more of a battle between Sony and Microsoft.

Neither of the two console manufacturers currently seems interested in delivering any official information on the next generation of home consoles.