Sony deflects concerns over iPhone challenge
updated 04:55 pm EST, Thu March 5, 2009
Sony PSP vs. iPhone
The iPhone is not a significant threat to the success of the PlayStation Portable, claims Sony's Ray Maguire. The managing director for Sony Computer Entertainment UK, Maguire notes that the company is already releasing the sort of casual "snacking" games for the PSP that typically flood the cellphone industry, and by extension the iTunes App Store. Many of the titles at the App Store are simple puzzle or action games, and often clones of famous titles such as Tetris or Space Invaders.
The quality of cellphone games is also frequently inferior to that of dedicated gaming platforms, Maguire notes, in part because of inconsistent hardware and infrastructure. "The iPhone has the advantage of being a single device and is growing a reasonable installed base," he adds, "but it doesn't have the production power that a PSP has. As a specific games machine, the PSP is always going to win out."
"We're in a great position to take on the interest in these snacking games and produce them at better quality, lower prices, with lower cost of development -– that's a great business model," says Maguire. The comments echo sentiments from Nintendo UK's David Yarnton, who has said the company has no desire or need to compete with the iPhone using its upcoming DSi handheld.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2008
Sony deflects concerns...
Obviously..., :)