PS3 Price Cut To Follow End of Blu-ray Laser Shortage?

Via Ars Technica's Opposable Thumbs blog, a DigiTimes article reports that the shortage of Blue-ray lasers is ending. Back in April Sony Shiroishi Semiconductor, a maker of the blu-violet laser diodes needed to make the PlayStation 3, ramped up production to fully meet the needs of production for Sony's new console. As a result of more readily available components, the article theorizes that a price cut may be possible sometime later this year.

"Until now, the question has been: how could Sony afford it? If the Blu-ray supply chain is indeed poised to pump out Blu-ray PUHs, perhaps this is the first major step to seeing $50 to $100 shaved off the cost of the console. Would $100 off the cost of the PS3 bring in more buyers? I don't think this can even be considered a serious question. With few exceptions, and leaving aside a handful of loyal fanboys, the PS3's biggest problem is its price. We look for a Sony price cut later this year if sales stay ho-hum."

via slashdot

If the PS3's price were brought into the same realm as the 360, and, the way the production cost is being cut so rapidly, maybe into the range of the Wii then it would be flying off the shelves and gaining more and more support from developers and accesory makers alike. Boy I can't wait for this. The excitement of the PS3 hasn't even begun yet. Once the RSX is supported in Linux then the real fun begins.