Its existence might not have been confirmed officially, but the tech world has been abuzz with rumours about its impending arrival and whether it could prove to be a game-changer. Pun intended. Yep, we are talking about the PlayStation phone (aka the PSP phone as some are now calling it) or the Sony Ericsson Zeus 1 as it is rumoured to be called, which is proving to be one of the most leaked devices of recent times. We have seen expected spec sheets, sneaky videos and blurry and sharp images of this handset over the past few days and as things stand at the moment, we are honestly less than impressed.
There are six clear reasons why we feel that Sony Ericsson might be barking up the wrong tree if it indeed is working on a PlayStation phone. Of course, as these are based entirely on the rumour and speculation that has been making the rounds of tech circles, they cannot really be called concrete – but then, neither can the phone, as of now.
The form factor:
We had always believed that Sony Ericsson and Motorola had a strong sense of design when it came to handsets. However, the PSP phone is nothing short of a shocker in the looks department – unless you loved the PSP Go (which I did not). It looks bulky and does not really seem a head turner, thanks to its extremely close resemblance to a PSP Go. Considering that this baby is likely to cost a fair bit (we are predicting something in the $600 range at least, going by the specs) and that gamers tend to be flaunters that is not a good sign. Finally, we are not sure that the “touchscreen + slide out game control buttons” formula is a admirable one.
The OS:
This is one thing about the Zeus 1 that has us stumped. Why Android, of all operating systems? Yes, we love Google’s mobile OS and its incredible flexibility, apps and support for always-on connectivity, but would not using Android limit the kind of games that can be played on the device to those on the Android Market? And if Sony is thinking of creating an alternative marketplace for its handset, would it not just be a matter of time before users figured out how to use it on non-PSP phones (there are phones with similar specs, after all) too, which would kind of defeat the purpose of a PSP phone? And all this is without getting into the Android update problem!
The specs:
A 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512 MB RAM and about 1GB of onboard storage would have sounded mightily impressive a year or so ago. Now, we are afraid it is passe. Unless Sony Ericsson is hiding a trump card up its sleeve, there are quite a few phones out there that will match the PSP phone when it comes to specs.
The games:
This is essentially what is going to make or mar the PSP phone. What kind of games will be offered on it? Will they be the regular PSP games tailored to run on Android or special editions? In either case, they are unlikely to sway existing PSP users. Also, will the games on offer be able to match what the Apple App Store has on offer – after all, we do consider the iPod touch to be the best mobile gaming option around this time, thanks to the games it offers? This is going to be a massive challenge for Sony Ericsson, as sticking to conventional PSP games would mean less than optimal use of the large touchscreen on the rumoured PSP device. Introducing new ones would not only mean a lot of development costs but would also mean creating YET another segment in the PSP market, which is already split into games that run off disks on the older PSP and downloadable ones on the PSP Go.
The console first, phone later formula:
People might not mind a tablet that they can sometimes use as a phone, but a console that can also sub for a phone? We are honestly not too sure. Yes, the phone function will serve to give the PSP phone a lot of connectivity, freeing it from depending entirely on Wi-Fi to go online, but that apart, we cannot see too many gamers who would love to use their consoles as phones. It is one thing to play a relatively casual game on one’s handset or to use one’s phone for entertainment during a break in the work day, but it is quite another thing to have a console that can also be used as a phone. Dedicated gamers (which is the crowd we think Sony Ericsson will be targeting with this device) are not going to love their gaming sessions being disturbed by texts, mails, social network updates and of course, phone calls.
The competition:
About half a decade ago, the idea of a gaming phone was considered innovative. With 2011 looming, most high-end phones are dab hands at gaming, and some like the iPhone 4, the Samsung Wave and Galaxy S, and the Nokia N8 are VERY good in the gaming department, with specs to match those we have heard about in the PSP phone. In such a scenario, what exactly would the Zeus 1 have that the competition does not? We are not too sure at the moment. The answer, we suspect, might lie in the games, but until we find out more about them, we must confess to being a bit pessimistic, given the quality of the competition.
So there you have it. Nothing would please us more than Sony Ericsson pulling out a rabbit from its hat and proving us wrong, but as things stand (once again, based entirely on what we are hearing rather than any concrete information), we are just hoping that the PSP phone/Zeus 1/ PlayStation phone remains a concept rather than a product. If the phone is what rumours would have us believe it is, we would recommend buying a authentic Android handset and the PSP Go, rather than a specialised console handset. Anyone remember what happened to the N-Gage
Lame! that is all
This article should have been called ‘six reasons why I’M not crazy about the psp phone’! Who the hell considers the itouch to the best mobile gaming device? Never heard of the DS or PSP? Who even has a itouch anymore? And why would sony use the android market, when they’ve got the PSN store? Sony are targeting people who have PS3’s and also have a smart phone. With a psp phone, you will constantly be connected to yr PS3, and that is what a lot of PS3 players want. Imagine if they integrate skype on the PS3 – its already on the android system, people will be making calls through their phone to their mates on the PS3, video chat as well. The real question here is; what kind of games will we be able to play? If we can play the same games as the psp, im sold! And NO we won’t be bothered by ‘phone calls, sms’ and various status upates’ because when you are playing PS3 or xbox you get those kind of status updates anyways. U need to try and think before you write.
I’m crazy about the potential of a PS Phone, but I’m not sure if Sony can pull it off.
Firstly, to address your concerns:
You may not like the form factor, but what else could they have possibly done? The only alternative that I can think of is having a slider that extends out from both sides of the device, but that would make it impossible to incorporate their new touch strip on the device.
I personally like the PSP Go form factor, and the only reason that I didn’t buy a PSP Go was that I couldn’t justify paying that much for a device without UMD support. I would have probably bought it if it cost the same as a PSP-3000. If you don’t use a slider at all, then you are forced to have the pad and buttons on the face of the phone, which would be an aesthetical disaster as far as phone design is concerned. When the device is closed it looks like a standard touch screen phone, and when it is open it looks like a PSP Go. It sounds like they’ve achieved exactly what they wanted.
Also, your logic regarding two market places is flawed. You state that by having a second market for PS Phone games that the games would be easily ported out onto phones with similar specifications. The fact is that there are no phones, released or announced, that have the same hardware as the PS Phone, namely physical gaming buttons and the touch strip. There is no point in porting games onto a device that does not have the correct inputs.
They will probably have the PSN Store in addition to the Android Market, giving gamers the best of both worlds, and choice. Since when has choice been bad for the consumer? I myself would like a phone that could run the PSN Minis that I have already bought on the PS3, as well as play Angry Birds, which is currently installed on my Android phone.
I honestly think that what will make or break a PS Phone is the games, and PSN connectivity and integration. The device must run all current PS Minis and PS One Classics. Sony should also work closely with developers to port other PSN titles like Joe Danger to the device. Minis are good because if you buy them on a PS3 then you can also play them on a PSP. If Sony make as many PSN titles as possible available on the phone, and don’t charge PSN users for re-purchases, then they could have a winner on their hands. Integration of PSN features such as remote play, PSN voice and video chat, and Qriocity’s music streaming service could help the device too.
My only issue is that this is Sony/Sony Ericsson that we’re talking about. They make the most amazing hardware, but then fail when it comes to software integration and connectivity. They could make a killer device, a phone that is just as good as any Android phone on the market that also plays quality games, or they could drop the ball again. I just really hope that they’ve thought this one through
Absolute pleasure to read your point of view, Gordon, although I agree not with all of them (matters of opinion, alas), but it is wonderful to see such carefully analysed and free of personal abuse comments. I do hope Sony Ericsson pulls it off, as contrary to what a lot of people think, I actually love the PSP.
Thanks for your reply, Nimish
I consider it a personal goal to keep the internet as balanced, civilised, and free from abuse as possible 🙂
One additional thing that I forgot to mention in my essay above is the potential for this device to be used as an emulator.
Android is an amazingly relaxed platform, and it should be very easy for people to create emulators for older consoles such as the early Nintendo and Sega systems.
The key advantage for a PlayStation phone would be that it is the first Android device to have a full physical game pad included. This means that you could play, for example, the original Super Mario Bros. on a phone with real controls.
A quick geeky look through the Android 2.3 SDK (I need to get a hobby) actually shows references to gaming control buttons, which means that anyone developing an emulator app for Android 2.3 can accept input from the gamepad controls. I’d better start writing that app 😀
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/KeyEvent.html#KEYCODE_BUTTON_L2
Of course, I’m sure Sony hope that we’ll be buying all our games from the PlayStation Store, but a good emulator from the modding crowd could drive device sales for the phone.
Wow, ur post shall be named “we (imao) believe the PsPhone will fail and I love iphones”.
It’s extremely flawed and not to say ur high in most of ur statements. $600 for the phone…yeah sure, if u want for it to be a flop and keeping in mind that u want to beat the iPhone and the DS that is not the right price, maximum $350 to $400 and that’s way too high, on the other hand having Android will make a give a wider option for the device cause it will have Android market and PSN store in one place, rt there I gave u 2 factors why the price will be lower, the amount of revenue from both markets can offset the loss on the device by a large margin.
When u say that dedicated gamers may not like it…do u know the “pause” option?
And to finish, the competition can’t be called competition, if ur a gamer then u know that nothing beats a physical interface, unlike the virtual interface imposed by the touch screens for gaming, on the PS Phone u have real buttons and sticks to control which btw are not interfering on ur gaming that takes place on the “SCREEN”, that if ur a gamer, if ur just a God damned hipster then ur rt, iPhone4 is a great gaming device but not even to play Angry Birds I find cool to c my fingers on the screen…
There are some legitimate concerns here, but also some fairly wacky points of view. For a start, the iPhone and iPad are severely limited as gaming devices by their inputs (a touch screen, some basic motion sensing and a couple of buttons). This might be fine for casual gamers who think that Angry Birds and Flight Control is the pinnacle of gaming, but for folk who don’t mind a bit more depth in their gameplay, having a phone with dedicated gaming controls i actually quite appealing.
And – of course – these controls mean that porting PSP Phone games to other devices will be nowhere near as easy as you suggest. Probably the biggest fail of your article (and no, on-screen buttons and controls, even if they didn’t take up the whole screen, wouldn’t be able to do a good job of replicating the tactile nature of button presses).
And as for gamers being flaunters! I think you’re confusing early-adopter yuppie scum tech junkies with proper gamers here. There are people who get the latest gaming rig to have it, but gamers are in it for the game, not to wave around their handset and show off how pretty it looks. We leave that to metrosexuals with identity issues ;).
Your concern about specs seems a little unfounded as well. Given the size of the screen, it’s hardly going to need PS3-level processing to produce great-looking and playing games. Both handhelds and home consoles (and PCs) are reaching the fairly flat level of the ‘diminishing marginal returns’ curve of the impact of technology on gameplay – and take the specs too high and no-one will be able to afford to develop (or buy) the kind of games that would take advantage of the hardware.
Your strongest arguments are the issue of the segmentation of the market, and dealing with the phone interrupting gaming sessions, and they’re both issues Sony Ericcson will be wanting to address.
Thankee for your opinion, Axe. Pleasure to read it. Beg to differ on some issues but I guess, that is just a matter of opinion.
I have to honestly say, this writer, while he has a right to his own input, seems pretty out of touch, and somewhat dumb, but not everyone can be on the inside looking out like him, his next article, paper or plastic (a first hand look at failure)!