Washington, D.C.
(April 12, 2007) -- High-def owners eager to buy a less
expensive Blu-ray player this week got some disappointing news.
Sony said it's discontinuing its $499 20-GB PlayStation 3 game
console in North America.
The decision means that the 60-GB PlayStation 3, priced at $599, will now be the lowest priced Blu-ray player on the market.
The PlayStation 3 comes with a Blu-ray high-def DVD player inside.
The decision means that the 60-GB PlayStation 3, priced at $599, will now be the lowest priced Blu-ray player on the market.
The PlayStation 3 comes with a Blu-ray high-def DVD player inside.
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Sony, whose standalone Blu-ray player now
costs $999 suggested retail, says it will introduce a
$599 player in mid-summer. Until then, the 60-GB PS3
will be the best buy for Blu-ray shoppers.
However, Toshiba, which backs the high-def format rival, HD-DVD, recently cut the price of its entry-level player to $399.
According to Top Tech News, Sony says it's abandoning the $499 PS3 in North America because of a stronger than expected demand for the higher priced model.
"At launch, we offered two separate models of PlayStation 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base," Dave Karraker, Sony's senior director of corporate communications, told the news service.
But he said the $599 model generated 90 percent of retail buys.
Despite the halt on North American sales of the 20-GB PlayStation 3, Sony said it will continue to offer support with software and services, according to Top Tech News.
Sony executives have acknowledged that the PS3, which launched last November, has experienced disappointing sales. However, they say they expect sales to rise later this year.
However, Toshiba, which backs the high-def format rival, HD-DVD, recently cut the price of its entry-level player to $399.
According to Top Tech News, Sony says it's abandoning the $499 PS3 in North America because of a stronger than expected demand for the higher priced model.
"At launch, we offered two separate models of PlayStation 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base," Dave Karraker, Sony's senior director of corporate communications, told the news service.
But he said the $599 model generated 90 percent of retail buys.
Despite the halt on North American sales of the 20-GB PlayStation 3, Sony said it will continue to offer support with software and services, according to Top Tech News.
Sony executives have acknowledged that the PS3, which launched last November, has experienced disappointing sales. However, they say they expect sales to rise later this year.
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Phillip Swann is
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News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The
Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The
Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com
or at 703-505-3064.
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