Sony's next-generation PlayStation 3 console could miss its spring launch if industry specifications for some of its technology are not finalised soon.

The PS3 will offer games as well as the ability to play music and watch films, as it seeks to take on rivals Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Revolution.

The new console is expected to feature cutting-edge processors and graphics.

Sony said if industry specifications on some of the PS3 were not decided soon "the launch could be pushed back".

'Last possible minute'

"We're aiming for spring, but we haven't announced specific regions," a spokesman for Sony Computer Entertainment said.

They said Sony was waiting for final specifications - which are decided by industry consortiums - on some of the technology in the PS3, including that connected to the Blu-ray disc drive and to input and output video and sound.

"We're waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon," the spokesman said.

Yuta Sakurai, a senior analyst at Nomura Securities, said he expected Sony to try to launch the PS3 in Japan in early summer, in time for the school holidays in July.

Shares hit

Other analysts believe the US launch will not be until before November's Thanksgiving holiday, while a European launch is expected in early 2007.

"No one is seriously thinking a spring release is realistic any more," said Hiroshi Kamide, an analyst at KBC Securities.

Sony shares closed 3.64% down on the Toyko market.

"If the launch is delayed, it will be beneficial in the short term, but will be negative from the standpoint of share price," said Merrill Lynch analyst Hitoshi Kuriyama in a research note.

"If it is on time, the PS3 will weigh on the company's profitability."

BBC News

what not enough samsung drives

lol yea samsung making hella bank off companys buy their drives. I rather they get their stuff together than put out an unfinished product *cough* psp *cough*. These next gen consoles gonna cost so much, sony deserves to lose some money.

Sh!t.

hey, would you guys buy ps3 the first month it comes out?

^ Might do, might not

pfff, another hardcore fan we have...
anyway how much are they priced at? 399us?

Expected to be somewhere from $399 to $499 but it'll cost more here anyway

^many gamers and game sites estimated it to be more than that. But i dont know.. anyways they can push back the system for all they want, the only thing i want is a good finished product with no problems.. and the more it is delayed the more i have time to gather money :P hehe

No console is worth over 500 bucks.

thats true, the most i'd pay would be $400, and it better be chipped

lol you're so tight, thats like £230, Xbox 360 costs about £320 with a game and memory unit here

Hmm..profit making opportunity if you buy it the moment comes out.... hehehhee

True, could get some relatives from Jp to buy some, send me them and then sell them on ebay

The only reason I'd buy a first-wave would be for resale.
Especially from Sony.
Sony fu-ked up the first-wave of PS2s hard.
I laughed my @$$ off when my friend's melted.

damn i didn't knwo you thought of me that way

Yeah Mr Stingy

It'll cost prob the same as the Xbox 360 I say.

Nah, I think its gonna cost more, probably $400-500, 500 max.

Xbox 360 costs the equivalent of $550 here but thats with a game and memory unit.

We have two bundles in the U.S, Core and Premium. The former is $300 and the latter is $400. Everyone seems to be buying the Premium due to it being a better value.

true^

i just read recentlyu on a popular taiwanese gaming magazine, that the PS3 costs about $900 usd to make, maybe thats the reason they're delaying the release.

Just how much profit did Sony make off its PS2? It will be losing money on the PS3 for a certain number of years, but would it be able to withstand it, especially when considering its unhealthy performance over the last couple of years?

It must have made quite a bit of profit, they sold over 70 million, more than the Xbox and Gamecube combined.
I am really wondering about the PS3 launch. Sony keeps saying they'll launch it this spring, even though Bandai and a manufacturer for the PS3 say its clearly impossible. It is impossible and I'd love to see Sony take back their spring launch date.
I really wonder how much its gonna cost....

don't be suprised if it's over 800USD

lovewhiz can you let me borrow 800 bux plz so i can buy ps3 haha

that would be ridiculous if it was 800us w/o tax.

with that cash i would buy 4 nintendo revolutions and have a remote for each appendage

900$ to make?

yep, it was on some weekly taiwanese PS2 magazine...