Sony has quietly come up with a new PS4 model leaving fans wondering what this new model brings with it. This is unlike Sony, which usually makes plenty of noise when releasing new hardware. The lack of noise from the Japanese company possibly is because of the uninteresting updates that this new PS4 model brings.
New PS4 model – no interesting updates
Current PS4 models carry the model code CUH-2100, but the new PS4 model comes with a CUH-2200 code. The change is related to the slim model of the PS4, and for now, only Sony’s Japanese online store is reflecting the update.
Sony usually changes the model number as and when the need arises, and the digit that is changed suggests if the revision is major or minor. For instance, Sony changed the first digit from 1 to 2 when it launched the PS4 Slim, meaning it was a bigger change. The last two digits in the model number denote the region where the console is being sold. For example, the European version of the new model might be CUH-2204 or CUH-2216, while the North American version might adopt CUH-2201 or CUH-2215.
This time the Japanese company has changed the second digit, so the change is expected to be minor, possibly some changes in the internal components to save on manufacturing costs. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that we may never know what has changed in this new PS4 model unless someone comes up with a teardown of the model.
Except for the change in the model number, other specifications of the console remain the same, including the power consumption, pricing, size and weight. Also, it must be noted that the change has only been made to three PS4 models – the 1 TB Jet Black version, 1 TB Glacier White console and 500 GB Jet Black version.
The model number for the 500 GB Glacier White model remains unchanged. This could be because Sony might be phasing out this version, or it has still to update its website. Since the Japanese company has not made any announcements so far regarding the new PS4 model, it can be assumed that there won’t be any announcements now. Nevertheless, it is good to see that Sony is still working on the PS4 at this point in its life cycle.
PS5 – what to expect?
Sony PS4 was first launched in November 2013, the same time that rival Microsoft released the Xbox One. The upgraded PS4 Pro was released in September of 2016. By the end of last year, the Japanese company had sold 73.6 million units of the PS4.
Going by the number of years that the PS4 has been on the market, it is safe to assume that the PS4 life cycle is now in its last stages. In Sony’s recent Corporate Strategy Meeting, PlayStation boss, John Kodera, also said the same, that the PS4 is nearing the end of its life cycle. Though this doesn’t mean that the PS4 will vanish immediately, it, however, does mean the next-gen console – possibly PS5 – is in the making.
A recent report from Kotaku claims that the PS5 may not be released until 2020. This may disappoint the fans, but it makes sense considering the success that the PS4 has been enjoying. Sony’s PS4 and PS4 Pro models are way ahead of the rivals. So, it is no surprise that the company wants to cash in on its popularity as much as it possibly can.
Talking of the expected PS5 specifications, a report from SemiAccurate claims that the dev kits for the next console have already reached the developers. Further, the report notes that the console would use AMD’s Navi as its base architecture along with Zen CPU from the same company.
In terms of power, Sony’s next console will surely aim to be more powerful than the Xbox One X, which launched in November 2017. Along with the support for the native 4k visuals, the console is expected to continue supporting the PSVR. Also, there are reports that Sony may foray into the portable market inspired by the phenomenal success of the Nintendo Switch. The Switch, which launched in March 2017, was last reported to have sold about 18 million units and is the fastest selling console ever in the U.S. and Japan.
