wraggster
August 31st, 2006, 17:41
Sony could have further trouble in meeting its target shipments of PS3s this winter, with reports emanating from Taiwan suggesting a shortage of blue laser diodes, an important component of the PS3's Blu-ray Disc pick-up heads and of course its Cell processor - which will disrupt production of the next-gen machine.
The reports, which come from online publication Digi Times, say that Sony's manufacturers in Japan and China may have to cut production to around two million PS3 units as a result of the shortage, halving Sony's projections of four million units shipped by the end of 2006.
You'll remember Sony US boss Kaz Hirai recently suggesting that Sony would only ship two million units by the end of the year - with Sony hastily issuing a clarification of Hirai's words to correct it back up to its original four million. But if Digi Times is correct, then PS3 shortages are pretty much guaranteed.
Sony's Taipei office apparently was unable to offer comment on the Digi Times piece but a representative for Sony Europe told CVG: "The PlayStation 3 is still on course for its launch dates in both Europe and Japan."
The reports, which come from online publication Digi Times, say that Sony's manufacturers in Japan and China may have to cut production to around two million PS3 units as a result of the shortage, halving Sony's projections of four million units shipped by the end of 2006.
You'll remember Sony US boss Kaz Hirai recently suggesting that Sony would only ship two million units by the end of the year - with Sony hastily issuing a clarification of Hirai's words to correct it back up to its original four million. But if Digi Times is correct, then PS3 shortages are pretty much guaranteed.
Sony's Taipei office apparently was unable to offer comment on the Digi Times piece but a representative for Sony Europe told CVG: "The PlayStation 3 is still on course for its launch dates in both Europe and Japan."