Taiwan’s Newspaper Claims Sony is Working on a “Thinner” PS4

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EricHiggin said:

With the current 16nm tech in PS4 and Pro, the only ways they could make the console thinner without it sounding like an airport again is to either change the shell design (which they obviously don't want to do considering Pro follows similar design characteristics) or take out the optical drive and make it a digital only sku. With all the success PS4 is having, now is a smart time to try it and see what happens. With PS Now, soon to offer PS4 games as well, it would be a great way to get a feel for if this approach will work, and if so, what type and how many PS5 sku's will they need going forward?

PS could run with 4 sku's. PS4/Pro for physical media gamers, and PS4/Pro Slim for digital media gamers.

They could also potentially have the present 16nm APU's re-engineered on the newest "12nm" process, which apparently is not a full node shrink, but a worthwhile improvement to the present 16nm process. This may allow PS4 and Pro to shrink and become approx 20% thinner possibly?

PS could even do both. Shrink the APU (in turn shrinking the heatsink and power supply size) allowing for slimmer disc based consoles, as well as creating 2 more sku's without optical drives for an even slimmer model. These would either be cheaper in price or have more mass storage space built in.

A PS4P/Hybrid I could also see being possible. There was a lot of talk about NiN wanting to get Switch out asap, but not so soon that there were no games ready obviously. On one hand it makes business sense since its right in the middle of the PS4(slim), Pro launch and the Scorpio launch, but I have to wonder if maybe PS has something else cooking in the hardware department that has NiN worried. Hence the possible rush to market for Switch. With NiN hyping E3 and all the games that will be shown, and the fact that MS will be showing Scorpio and new games, PS will need something truly exceptional this time to try and stand out from the crowd. Well if by chance PS was planning to surprise everyone with a PS4P/Hybrid announcement at E3, then if you were NiN, making sure Switch launched months in advance of that would be a MUST.

A PS4P (Phone) could also be a possibility. PS4 branded tablet or laptop, sure. PS has many potential paths forward, and with the home consoles selling themselves right now, branching out is just as much a possibility as doubling down on the present hardware.

Either way I'm pumped for E3. This year is going to be comparable to 2013, if not better.

I completely agree with this. If Sony is not looking at all of these possabilities right now with the success of the PS4, PSN, and the PlayStation Store, then someone should be fired. 

I really hope that a PS4 Phone is coming. They should have the down below 40Watts now, which is still much to high for a Phone, but with some compenent swaps, it may just be possible. Having a PS4 Phone in Japan should be golden. Sony and Nintendo have handed the mobile market to Apple in Japan, and people have to be disappointed. Hopefully, a PS4 Phone, and a Switch Phone, can change things over the next few years. Then I can be free from ever needing an iOS or Android device again.