Sony denies PlayStation 3 firmware overhaul

Sony denies huge overhaul for the PlayStation 3 in a new firmware download. 

Rumours circulated last week that stated that not only would the PlayStation 3's firmware 3.0 be out this year, but that it would include a huge upgradethat could be compared to the Xbox 360's New Xbox Experience. 

Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of product publicity came out and refuted the claimsalmost immediately, stating: 

"These rumours are completely untrue, nothing has been announced or confirmed for upcoming PlayStation firmware, and this is just wild speculation." 

However, Sony's director of network operations, Eric Lempel, has elaborated on Sony's PS3 firmware plans. 

"You'll definitely see another firmware update this year, but it won't be like what the rumors say," Lempel told PCWorld. 

"We're working on some consumer features that consumers will definitely like, but it's nothing like what you're reading about, and at this time I don't want to confirm any of those features because they're not completely locked down yet. We're looking pretty good, and timing is a little rough, but just in terms of that rumor, it's not the case." 

And no there won't be any radical changes to the PS3's XrossMediaBar: 

"What we find is that people really like our current interface. We did redesign the PlayStation Store last April to make some improvements, make it faster, make it better, and we're always listening to consumers. But right now the XMB [XrossMediaBar] is an Emmy Award-winning interface and people like it. They're very comfortable with it," Lempel added. 

"So we're not looking to do anything radical. We'll still do some research behind the scenes and see what can we do to make things better, or how can we make it so consumers find content faster, but right now we're pretty happy with it. No plans right now to do anything like what the competitor has done." 

Oh and they're looking into the battery-life cutting off the system clock glitch. Thank god

http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/formats/playstation3/sony-denies-playstation-3-firmware-overhaul-$1309685.htm

I don't understand why Sony keeps churning a firmware after another firmware. I mean, firmwares are most likely used to fix errors (like computers), but not a succession of upgrades. Why doesn't Sony offer a certain section in the PSN, like a survey, asking what the consumer wants out of the PSN? Nintendo does that with one of their channels (I think, since I own a Wii). Utilizing that sort of method is how Microsoft was listening to the consumers for what they wanted out of Windows 7, and to make that a stable OS. If Sony does something of that sort, I think that the PSN will have stuff that the consumer wants, not something that was thrown together for the consumer to fidget with (Home).

Why add just what people want? why not release awesome features that no one expects?  I'll take both the expected and unexpected. Sony has stated time and time again that they listen to customer feedback which they have proven time and time again adding new features people want like ingame XMB, trophies, Divx and Xvid playback.

Like Eric said before. Some updated customers wont see but game developers will. This means Sony improves the general performance of the PS3 as well as consumer experience.

Truthfully Sony has done better at improving the PS3 with its firmware better then Microsoft has with the Xbox 360. At least Sony has an award winning interface, the XMB, which the competitors poorly try to copy (NXE).

 sony have the blog and the forums for that already