Sony exec hints at PlayStation 4 announcement in spring

Perhaps tipping his hand a bit about Sony's "big secret," VP Hiroshi Sakamoto directs our gaze toward the 2013 edition of the big E3 games conference.


Sony's vice president of home entertainment, Hiroshi Sakamoto, has hinted that the next-generation PlayStation 4 console may be announced in the coming months.
In an interview with Chilean Web site Emol, Sakamoto implied that the Playstation 4 may be ready for formal introduction by the time 2013's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) appears on the calendar, or perhaps even sooner.
When asked whether a next-generation playstation console will be seen within the new few months, the VP told the publication:
Sakamoto went on to say that there would "probably" be a big announcement at E3, but consumers will have to wait until May at the earliest. Even if the hardware is revealed at E3 -- an event comparable to CES for gamers -- it is unlikely we will get our hands on the console, reportedly being developed under the project name "Orbis," until later in the year.
Whenever it arrives, Sony's next console will be contending for consumer dollars against the likes of Microsoft's yet-to-be-introduced next-generation XBox.
Rumors surrounding Sony's next console have suggested that the PlayStation 4's specifications will include a customized chip based on AMD's A8-3850 with a quad-core 2.9GHz processor and a 1GHz graphics card with 1GB of dedicated memory. Hardly the cutting edge of technology, but as other reports have suggested that the console has been designed for affordability, these kinds of facilities aren't surprising.
Most console manufacturers have generally kept to the tradition of a five-year shelf life for their devices. However, Sony has always gone against the grain, saying that its products have double the lifespan -- and as long they remain commercially viable.