Sony's PS4 Pro Makes the Jump on 4K, HDR TVs

Sony on Wednesday officially unveiled the
powered-up PlayStation 4 Pro, which features
smoother graphics, thanks to higher frame rates.

This new version of Sony's bestselling video game
console includes support for 4K resolution and high
dynamic range, making it fully compatible with 4K/
UHD displays.

Some developers will add PS4 Pro support to
existing games, as well as upcoming releases.
Sony's own Uncharted 4 can be updated to take
advantage of the 4K/HDR support immediately.

Other titles -- including Call of Duty: Infinite Wars ,
Horizon: Zero Dawn, Mass Effect: Andromeda and
Days Gone -- will provide support at their respective
launches.

Gamers who don't have HDTVs that offer either 4K
or HDR still can benefit from the PS4 Pro's higher
frame rate.

The PS4 Pro will support for Netflix's and
YouTube's upcoming 4K apps, which will be
available in the coming months.

In addition to the high-end PS4 Pro, Sony
introduced a new standard version of the
PlayStation 4. It is externally smaller and weighs
less than the original PS4, but its new hardware
design reduces power consumption by 28 percent.

It is otherwise the same as the PS4 launched in
late 2013.

"The premium tier allows Sony to target enthusiasts,
while its standard version addresses a broader
audience," said Piers Harding-Rolls, head of games
research at IHS Markit .

Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro will be available at retail
on Nov. 10 for US$399.99, while the new standard
PlayStation will be released on Sept. 15 for
$299.99.

Going High-End
Support for 4K and HDR may mean a more
powerful gaming system, but adoption of TV sets
that are capable of utilizing those features is still in
its infancy. Sony's PS4 Pro, in a sense, has future-
proofed the console.

"The PS4 Pro is designed to appeal to a high-end
consumer, and in the same way that you have high-
end gaming PCs, you can expect to have an
audience of console gamers who want more from
the PS4," noted Scott Steinberg, principal analyst at
TechSavvy Global .

"Not everyone will take advantage of these new
features in the next month or two, but the system
will be there and be ready for when the market gets
there," he told TechNewsWorld. "This way Sony will
have a system that can take advantages of a
consumer's next TV as well as their current one."

Halfway There
Sony is hedging its bets with the two offerins.
"The PS4 Pro is really a '.5' upgrade, which adds
features, but the major hitch is going to be selling
to someone who already has the system and
doesn't have a 4K TV right now," observed
independent video game industry analyst Billy
Pidgeon.
However, "the advanced features could possibly
entice those with an Xbox One to make the switch,"
he told TechNewsWorld.

Further, "Sony is also smart to offer the cheaper
slimmed-down version as another way to pull in
those who haven't bought a PS4 in any form yet,"
Pidgeon said.

"The danger still remains that hardware upgrades
can cut out the largest part of your install base in
the process, so Sony and the game developers will
have to be careful not to make it seem like early
adopters are left behind" he cautioned.

"Some console gamers will always want the best
stuff, and if they have the money then they'll buy the
system again," Pidgeon said, noting that a similar
strategy sustained the PC hardware market at one
time. "The question remains, how big is that
market?"

Updates Galore
Updating the technology in a video game console
was not so easy with past systems.

"Today's consoles use less proprietary technology
compared to older generations and are more like
PCs," remarked IHS Markit's Harding-Rolls. "This
makes it easier and quick to develop and build
improved versions."

Microsoft already has fired its own salvo, with the
introduction of the Xbox One S, which offers 4K
video and HDR support, as well as a 4K/UHD Blu-
ray drive.

Microsoft reportedly also is working on another
version that will be capable of running 4K-native
games expected early next year.

The companies' new strategies could be to extend
the lives of their respective systems through these
types of updates, rather than introducing completely
new systems.

"Consoles are now being designed to last a whole
lot longer than previous generations," said
TechSavvy Global's Steinberg.

"This is good news for gamers who don't have to
see their library of games left behind, but it also
should appeal to game developers who don't have
to learn a whole new ecosystem," he pointed out.
"For both gamers and developers, this really
provides maximum value for the systems."