Ben-DutkaAs most PlayStation 3 owners fully understand, the PlayStation Network has come an awfully long way since Sony's next-gen machine launched back in 2006. And according to Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer, the Network will continue expanding…beyond the PS3.
According to a recent Nikkei Electronics Asia interview with Stringer, the Network certainly isn't limited to the PS3. He did say the "cost was high" in developing "absolutely incredible technology" for the machine, and that for a time, some people thought the content download service was "doomed." But the Network is in a whole new position and as of now, Stringer says they have begun the "transition from a closed system to an open one," which may require a bit of explanation. So here you go:
"Next we will be expanding the PlayStation Network to hardware other than the PS3, because the number of PS3 units sold puts a limit on the scale of the network possible. Sony has a vertical structure for each product line, an organisational structure that resists change, so it will take time to achieve this network growth. However, a large number of employees share my opinion on this."
Now, we assume the first piece of hardware outside the PS3 to gain full access to the Network will be the PSP, or perhaps the rumored PSP2/PSP Go! that's supposedly set to launch later this year. Beyond that, we're not sure what Sony intends, but we do know that it takes some work to expand an empire. And with the Network improving every day, it seems inevitable that it should become available to other consumers who don't happen to own a PS3. In reality, there aren't any limitations; it's just an online service that can, theoretically, go anywhere. And what's wrong with that?
I think they will probly expand the video download service to their tvs, like they did with the xmb. I cant really think of anything else right now.
First things first… we need the move system in canada. Like really canada is an independent country and sony has millions of fans here. I for one would love to buy a movie on my PS3 but sony hasn't even given canadians the chance to buy or rent these. I no what most of you are thinking, to make a american acount but trust me i tried this it still didn't show up. Please Ben can you help make this situation be heard! wow when i read the rest of the comments i didn't even relize that some of the contries don't even have a sotre:-o
Last edited by kevinater321 on 5/12/2009 3:54:56 PM
im sure they are working on having Sony tv's use the XMB so that people could use the video store on their tv
How about making the store available in all regions for a start . I would like to have a chance to play games like Flower and Wipeout HD , but Sony just don't seem interested .
im sure it more has to do with your government and Sony taking care of all the legal issues.
I dunno…remember "Ass, Gas, or Grass, Nobody Rides for Free"? Somebody, somewhere, will be paying for it, either ad companies or players, and I just hope (and pray to Elvis!), that Sony can continue to show players the same level of respect (that they have finally started to show again) as their services continue to expand, you know?
" …or perhaps the rumored PS2/PSP Go!" Do you mean PSP2/PSP Go! ?
In any case, this topic has me quite intrigued. Me likey and me waity for more.
Maybe so you can expand it to Sony Cameras, Phones, Walkman, Computers, Etc.
Like maybe you could have one base account and store data there:
(take a picture on a camera, connect to the internet via Walkman, crop it on a computer, view it real big on a PS3 and show all of your friends at work/school from a PSP then send it to far away friends via phone…)
or possible sony will make it availible on there phones as well. kinda like the itunes store with apple
They will expand it farther to the PSP and PC.
and they already said in the future you will be able to take a picture on your sony phone and upload it straight to a poster on your wall in Home.
When they say expand don't they mean to stuff like ipod or maybe Time Warner Cable!?
Read the entire interview with Stringer folks, it's a good read. Towards the end he describes a dinner he had with a group of Sony hardware engineers, he pays them some serious compliments, basically calling them the future of Sony. So whether he's a hardware guy or not, he seriously gets it when it comes to Sony's future.
As for expanding the PSN, remember that the most up to date Profile 2.0 BluRay players have to have at least 1GB of local storage as well as Internet access. It's not a big stretch to imagine BD players shipping with a MemoryStick or SD card slot allowing local storage of many gigs worth of PSN video/music content as well as supplemental BD content.
Also consider Sony LCD TVs with built-in storage options. Many TVs include SD slots or Memory Stick slots, or even USB ports so customers can display family pictures or play MP3s. Again with a Net connected TV that has local storage, there's no reason why video downloads directly to the TV couldn't be done.
As for other devices, mobile music players and video players are obvious candidates, as are phones. There's no reason why PSN has to mean games, it can mean other forms of content as well.
We've already seen a games news video magazine, why not regular daily news digests from the BBC distributed directly through PSN? Why not use PSN to distribute books to Kindle or allow other devices to be used as e-book readers – PSP could do it, especially if a new one came along with a better screen.
Finally there's no reason third parties could not participate in PSN as well, so long as third party devices conform to the PSN standards, or content providers work within it's framework.
The possibilities are enormous.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 5/12/2009 12:17:21 AM
PSP sounds like a good possibility. As for PC…hmm that would be interesting. I was wondering also how Microsoft has MSN/Windows Messenger which can connect with your XBL buddies…I know this is really far-fetched but what if Sony introduces it's own Messenger and does something like that…or…nvm, I won't continue.
PSN on iPhone/iTouch?? Who knows?
There's only a couple things I want out of PSN. A music section for one, there are songs I'd buy out of the store because my PC pooped out a year ago, and I don't purchase CDs rarely. My PS3 has become my primary connection to the internet, and I don't intend to purchase a new PC this year. Also, a new interface would be good. It works don't get me wrong, but for the longest I didn't see the video section. When I saw it finally, it was like discovering gold haha and I went quickly to the anime section. This sounds great, I can't wait to see PSN expand.
I really don't understand why there is no music section. I'd have thought that was easier to manage than the video downloads.
God, I've always DREAMED of Sony teaming up with Apple (since they are both competitors of Microsoft) and splitting costs and maybe even fusing putting Itunes as the music section?