Once the leading tech company in the world, Sony has fallen behind in public opinion to companies like Apple and Google. While Sony may have lost the lead, that doesn’t mean it isn’t making great products. In the last few weeks, Sony has announced a cutting-edge smartphone; a new PS4 game console; a gaming handheld; and today, the PS Vita TV. The PS Vita TV is designed to be a ‘mini console’ that allows users to play games and stream content to their TV, like Apple TV and Roku currently do. According to pcmag.com:
“The big news is the PS Vita TV, a Vita-based micro-console. This is a $100 micro-console that has the processing power of the PS Vita and plugs into your HDTV. A bundle with an 8GB memory card and a DualShock 3 controller will be available for about $150. Like the Vita, it can play downloaded PSP and PSOne games, and has a game card slot so you can play physical Vita games as well as downloaded titles. It can also play PlayStation 4 games through Remote Play, if the system is connected to a different HDTV in the house. The PS Vita TV could be huge, offering powerful competition to both the Ouya and media hubs like the Apple TV $95.99 at Abt.com and Roku 3$99.99 at Best Buy. It will also provide a much-needed ‘budget’ console choice for hardcore gamers not willing to spend $400 on a PlayStation 4, $500 on an Xbox One, or $300 on a Nintendo Wii U $349.96 at Walmart.com.”
This is a smart move for Sony, as it gives the company another entry point into consumers’ coveted living room. Sony already has great placement in the living spaces of many homes with its Playstation brand and high-end televisions. If it were to combine computing, TV, mobile, and gaming platforms with its content in a universal ecosystem, Sony could build an end-to-end user experience that would rival Apple’s.
The PS Vita TV is set to hit the Japanese markets first, no word yet on its debut in the U.S.
