14 DAY TRIAL // Sony's Next Generation Portable, despite not getting an actual release date, might see its launch be pushed back because of certain production issues stemming from the earthquakes and tsunami that hit the company's Japanese manufacturing facilities.
Sony has been hyping up the Next Generation Portable since its official announcement at the end of January, but declined to detail important aspects like when it is released or at what price.
Reports indicated that Sony is currently aiming for a worldwide release at the end of the year, ahead of the winter holiday season which would result in big sales all around the globe.
Now though, after a series of earthquakes and a tsunami hit its native Japan, Sony is saying that the damage sustained by its production facilities may result in a delay of the Next Generation Portable's launch.
SCEA President Jack Tretton explained that these issues may have serious consequences, "It may be the straw that says 'maybe we get to just one market by the end of the year.'"
The company hinted, when it revealed the NGP, that the device could be launched in just one market this year, but immediately backed down from making any commitments in terms of release.
If the NGP doesn't appear on the market at the end of the year, Sony could face some tough challenges from Nintendo, who already launched the 3DS all over the world, and Apple, whose portable gadgets, including the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, are becoming more and more popular these days, at least according to Wedbush Securities analyst Edward Woo.
"It raises the bar on the competitive issues that Sony is going to have to hurdle," Woo told Bloomberg. "As it is now, it's already going to be almost eight months behind Nintendo, and a delay could push that to a year and delivery when the iPad 3 may be coming out."
Sony, without a doubt, knows this, but if it can't get its production facilities up and running to produce enough NGP units in order to support a global launch, then it's better to just delay it for the beginning of next year.