Next-Gen PSP In March 2007?

The latest edition of PlayStation Magazine (PSM) claims unnamed sources say Sony will release a “retooled” PSP in March next year. The next-gen PSP, again according to PSM, “will not be the PSP 2 ” but will have upgraded specs while keeping the retail price the same. The sources compared it to Apple’s iPod strategy.

PSM says Sony made a deal with Samsung to purchase “a large amount of 8GB flash memory chips, which are to be built into the new PSP according to numerous semiconductor industry reports.” PSM thinks this will facilitate Sony’s PSP downloadable game and content strategy.

In addition, the new PSP will have a built-in still/video camera with potential EyeToy-type gaming capabilities but thinner and lighter than current the PSP. The next-gen PSP will have the same graphic and sound capabilities of the current system and will support UMDs. The magazine, however, says the addition of a second analog stick will be unlikely.

While PSM sounds believable, the term “unnamed sources” forces us to classify this as a rumor.

The latest edition of PlayStation Magazine (PSM) claims unnamed sources say Sony will release a “retooled” PSP in March next year. The next-gen PSP, again according to PSM, “will not be the PSP 2 ” but will have upgraded specs while keeping the retail price the same. The sources compared it to Apple’s iPod strategy.

PSM says Sony made a deal with Samsung to purchase “a large amount of 8GB flash memory chips, which are to be built into the new PSP according to numerous semiconductor industry reports.” PSM thinks this will facilitate Sony’s PSP downloadable game and content strategy.

In addition, the new PSP will have a built-in still/video camera with potential EyeToy-type gaming capabilities but thinner and lighter than current the PSP. The next-gen PSP will have the same graphic and sound capabilities of the current system and will support UMDs. The magazine, however, says the addition of a second analog stick will be unlikely.

While PSM sounds believable, the term “unnamed sources” forces us to classify this as a rumor.