It has to be the question Sony is asking. Or, rather, as they've already decided on this course of action, they already asked the question and decided the answer was favorable.
Considering that Sony will release a more powerful PS4 console , how will it entice current owners?
Obviously, it will boast better graphics and presumably better performance, and as most (if not all) games will work on both versions of the console, you don't have to worry about your current library. It'll still work. But are those better graphics worthy of another $300 or $350 price tag? We have no idea how much this more capable unit will cost, either; if it's a lot more powerful, it might actually retail at PS4's starting price of $400.
Maybe it will only matter to those who plan to utilize PlayStation VR? Maybe it won't matter to those who don't have super high-end Ultra HD/4K HDTVs? If it comes out late enough, it's feasible that a fair percentage of current PS4 owners might not be that annoyed at the upgrade, and if the new console comes with a bigger hard drive or something… I don't know; I'm just trying to envision ways that Sony can avoid alienating a lot of long-time fans. Console gamers aren't used to this kind of thing and just because consoles have been acting like PCs for years (expansion/DLC, software/hardware patches and updates, digital delivery, etc.), this is stepping over the line.
Well, to me. Maybe nobody else will really care. Perhaps Sony will treat it like a new console launch and produce a myriad of fresh new games like a true-blue launch lineup. Maybe they can get everyone crazy freakin' excited. Frankly, I don't think that's going to happen and this idea of catering to both "casual and hardcore" gamers at once is probably only going to succeed in pissing off the latter group. Even so-called "hardcore" gamers may not be jumping out of their seat for an "upgraded console" only a few years after shelling out for a new generation machine. I know I'm not.
But I probably don't qualify as "hardcore" anymore, anyway.