Sony HAS to wait. Yeah, they can get more out of the PS3 than Microsoft can with the 360 but the difference is negligible by the vast majority of the world.
Nintendo had to go ahead and release the Wii U because their tech was way outdated. Personally, I think the Wii U should have been released a while back.
Microsoft is where they want to be. A comparably powerful machine that makes them money and gets a ton of third party support.
If Microsoft announces their next console, Sony is done. Either Sony will be competing with the old PS3 console that will appear to be outdated next to the "Next gen consoles" and won't be capable of running games that appear on the Next Xbox OR the Wii U (due to its unique controller)
OR
Sony (which is already hemorrhaging money like crazy) will attempt to launch a new console in attempts to keep up. The PS3 won't reach its full potential. Why would anybody work hard to push the older system to its limits when they can get superior results on the competition without even having to try? Install base? The 360 has virtually the same installed base so, as far as third parties go, there will be no motivation to push harder than the 360 is capable of.
Of all of the companies on the market, I think Sony is in the worst position BY FAR. They're in a lose/lose situation no matter what they do. The PS3 has just cost them so much.
