Sony's replacement for the PSP may not arrive at all this year, a series of tips hinted today. The handheld game machine is now not only unlikely to get a formal debut at E3 next month but wouldn't show until 2011. The reason for the delay wasn't given.
What hardware would be involved was detailed by VG247 and appears to partly echo earlier rumors. It would have a quad-core processor but would actually be based on Cell, where only one core is an actual processor and the rest are primarily advanced vector units. A touchscreen would be part of the plans, but it would still have physical PlayStation-style controls, likely both to accommodate certain kinds of traditional games along with iPhone-like titles.
The design might follow in the path of the DSi and include two cameras. It would likely drop all kinds of removable media, though this was widely expected following the flash-memory-only PSP Go.
Sony doesn't comment on rumors or speculation and hasn't either confirmed or denied the claims.
If true, the delay could be a significant setback for Sony's gaming ambitions. The Japanese firm has almost always sold fewer devices than its close rival Nintendo but has lately seen rapidly falling PSP sales that are widely attributed to the effect of the iPhone and iPod on handheld gaming. Apple has been taking portable game revenue from the industry as many gamers have opted for more explicitly all-in-one devices like the iPod touch than the game-centric PSP.
