Sources recently speaking to Bloomberg allege that Sony has nixed some features it had planned for an unnamed future mirrorless camera model due to the scarcity of certain hardware, namely DRAM and NAND flash memory.
The decision was reportedly made in order to reserve the limited hardware for the upcoming fifth-generation PlayStation console, which is expected to launch this holiday season.
The current demand for NAND and DRAM is high among smartphone manufacturers, according to Bloomberg, which reports that Sony is struggling to keep down the cost of its upcoming PS5 console. Assuming sources are correct, the PS5 will cost around $450 to manufacture, meaning that even with thin margins, consumers could be facing a unit price of $470 or more for the next-gen gaming console.
The sources claim that the coronavirus outbreak hasn't had any sort of impact on the PS5 at this time, but that limited DRAM availability prompted the company to cancel some mirrorless camera features it had planned. Sony will reportedly prioritize the DRAM for its PS5 console, the final price of which hasn't been revealed.
The report doesn't specify which camera model will suffer as a result of this alleged decision nor which features were eliminated, though it does claim that Sony plans to release the camera this year. Assuming the claim is true, Sony may have decided to remove a planned stacked DRAM image sensor from an upcoming model, but the company has not commented on the report, leaving little more than speculation at this time.
. dpreview.com2020-2-20 21:53