Rumor: Taiwanese firms awarded PS3 Slim manufacturing contracts

by Richard Mitchell { Jun 30th 2009 at 1:50PM }

Another possibly "frustrating" leak for Sony, word comes from our buddies at Joystiq Japan and Engadget Chinese that two Taiwanese manufacturing companies have been awarded contracts to build Sony's new streamlined PS3, affectionately known as the PS3 Slim. According to UDN.com, half of the orders have gone to Taiwanese group Foxconn, while the other half has gone to Pegatron. The units are expected to start shipping in early July "to cope with expected summer vacation demands."

The news has a ring of truth to it, given that the two firms have manufactured the original PS3. The timing also makes sense, as Japan actually buys most of its game consoles during the summer vacation period (as opposed to the winter holidays in the west). Still, all of this info comes from anonymous sources, so take it with a very hearty helping of salt.

Assuming the news is true, it would mesh well with the PS3 Slim rumors we've heard so far, most notably that Ars Technica expected the units to hit the market in August or September. Add this to the string of rumors and leaks -- even some purported images of the unit itself -- and the PS3 Slim looks like it could be hitting the ground sooner rather than later.

Tags: foxconn, pegatron, ps3-slim, rumor, sony

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

mr nimblewick @ Jun 30th 2009 1:56PM

So their plans are to roll out the slim at the same price as the current PS3 and do the lowered "clearance" price for the large PS3's? That would seem to fit with some of their previous pricing moves.

Shmil @ Jun 30th 2009 2:14PM

Not only that, but the PS3 Slim will lack a blu ray player. You'll have to download all of your games from the PSN. But it comes with an extra 16 gig stick.

sony boy @ Jun 30th 2009 2:18PM

i guess they're just trying to make a...what's that word called? oh yeah, PROFIT!!!

Kattleox @ Jun 30th 2009 2:18PM

Sorry, bub, but to compare UMD to BluRay is silly at best: one of these media is Sony's life blood, and the other is a failure. BD is one of if not THE reason to get a PS3. I doubt it's going anywhere.

Shmil @ Jun 30th 2009 2:22PM

Sorry, kattleox, if my joke was perceived as "silly"

gamer4250 @ Jun 30th 2009 3:49PM

I guess satire isn't allowed anymore.

Shmil @ Jun 30th 2009 4:01PM

I think its allowed if its about the 360, PC, or Wii

needmoregigs @ Jun 30th 2009 4:19PM

@mr nimblewick:
I found this on passwird.com today:

"Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) 80GB Console $99.99 shipped w/ Sony Card Sign-up
This deal requires Sony Card signup. SonyStyle has the Playstation 3 (PS3) 80GB Console at $399.99 with free shipping. They are offering a $100 card credit after your first purchase of $299 or more at SonyStyle. Plus, get another $200 credit when you spend an additional $3000 within the next 6 months."

Sony had this $100 credit for awhile now, but the $200 credit is new to me. It might just be a coincidence but your comment just made me think that they might be trying to clear old stock to make way for the newer SKU's. Then again this deal would also apply to the 160GB version. I'm confusing myself now.

frozengod @ Jun 30th 2009 1:56PM

Good news.
I might become interested enough to buy a PS3.

Mazrael @ Jun 30th 2009 2:34PM

Same here.. I just really don't have the space for the 'phat', unless I nail it to the wall... make my mate happy too, he'd beable to play some co-op

Wiizer @ Jun 30th 2009 2:38PM

Bad news:

I don't think anyone cares. :(

SecretAgentHam @ Jun 30th 2009 3:08PM

you sir, are one angry sackperson.

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 30th 2009 3:11PM

"Bad news:

I don't think anyone cares. :("

This made me laugh. +1

Obie @ Jun 30th 2009 4:08PM

Make it $299 and SOLD!

Negativecool @ Jun 30th 2009 1:56PM

OH NOEZ!! Sony iz kan haz leek!

No one will buy a PS3 fat because teh PS3 slim is on teh wayzz!!

....

sorry:*(

captainprotonx @ Jun 30th 2009 1:57PM

Presuming the assumption that the rumor is assumed correct, it can be assumed that this rumor will be proven or disproven in the coming months by rumors from info bits leaked from assumed insiders.

All this, assuming true, can only be presumed as an assumption of a coming rumored price drop. All rumors....and assumptions.

...LEGAL!

glitched @ Jun 30th 2009 2:13PM

Aye! Jack Protonx

glitched @ Jun 30th 2009 2:14PM

Sorry.

Aye! CAPTAIN Jack Protonx

Premature ejaculation man @ Jun 30th 2009 6:37PM

You'd make a good spokesperson/politician.

arrness @ Jun 30th 2009 1:58PM

JOYSTIQ JAPAN?

captainprotonx @ Jun 30th 2009 2:01PM

Nihon no jousutiku

Storm Eagle @ Jun 30th 2009 2:22PM

Yea. Just had visit to the site. They last updated...

LAST WEEK?!

And I thought WE had slow news days...

Cosmo (formerly Chin-Poh) @ Jun 30th 2009 3:17PM

There is a Joystiq Japan?

Cosmo (formerly Chin-Poh) @ Jun 30th 2009 3:18PM

BTW, what did you say captainprotonx? Are you Japanese or did you learn it?

arrness @ Jun 30th 2009 3:21PM

i dont speak japanese but i think its "Japanese Joystiq"

doc j @ Jun 30th 2009 5:34PM

CaptainProtonx was likely just making a joke about the Japanisation of English words as made popular in anime. The actual word for joystick in japanese is "soju reba" - although a Japanisation already exists in the form of "joisutikku"

Check out jp.joystiq.com but it's definitely not written in romaji :)

Cosmo (formerly Chin-Poh) @ Jun 30th 2009 7:53PM

So how did YOU learn Japanese may I ask? : )

Feba @ Jun 30th 2009 9:05PM

Generally people learn other languages by studying them.

doom saber @ Jul 1st 2009 9:59AM

l did not know a joystiq jp site does really exist (went to the link that doc J posted.)

To answers Comso's query, it seems that the majority of ppl on the net learn japanese (or more accurately, a skewed fragmented form of it) through anime

I do not speak a lick of japanese but watchin anime with eng subtitles allowed pick a few words

All captain protonx really wrote is japanese joystiq; heput was the japanese word of japan (Nihon) with no (which seems to be the japanese word of "of") and joyshiitsu (assumed japanese pronouncation of "joystiq")

It is not hard to figure it 0ut if you watch a lot of anime.

hunter2223 @ Jun 30th 2009 2:02PM

You'd think if this was shipping in early July that we'd be seeing actual unit picture leaks by now. There were Elite pictures a good month before it was announced, let alone released.

Manufacturing is not a vacuum, and there is always someone looking to be BMOC by getting those pictures out first.

Guinea Rabbit @ Jun 30th 2009 7:22PM

I remember seeing the actual unit picture leaks a month or two ago.

libertine @ Jun 30th 2009 2:13PM

You'd think Sony would just announce it already.

Hashbrown Hunter (OneGiantCluster.blogspot.com) @ Jun 30th 2009 2:54PM

I wouldn't expect to see it until TGS comes around.

boots555 @ Jun 30th 2009 2:13PM

I hope this is true, maybe these new PS3 slims will have a PS2 emulator and we will see a price drop on old models.

Storm Eagle @ Jun 30th 2009 2:14PM

The other half went to Pegatron?

Parscream is NOT going to be happy about that.

GewurztraminerX @ Jun 30th 2009 2:18PM

Oh, he knows. He's simply waiting until the opportune moment...

Peter Moore @ Jun 30th 2009 2:20PM

Get Phia LaPeouf on the case.

Longhorn of Myon [PSN: MariusElijah] @ Jun 30th 2009 2:24PM

Then get Phicael Bay to document the events

Wiizer @ Jun 30th 2009 3:10PM

What about Peagan Pox?... No one is going to get Peagan Pox???

That's the best one, btw.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Jun 30th 2009 3:43PM

Will this Pocumentary be available on pooray for my phat Pony?

GewurztraminerX @ Jun 30th 2009 4:09PM

Please people; Parscream? Plainly permissible; pure pun potential.

Perhaps proclaim:

"Poptimus Prime Prevails Past Pegatron!"

Bastard11 @ Jun 30th 2009 10:06PM

You people have it all wrong.. it isn't some "pwned" style typo.. it's a new evil Transformer altogether..
He starts out as an unassuming factory.. putting out little PS3 Slim minicons to help him take over the world.. and when the screws really hit the fan he transforms into a giant robot Pegasus!

sc00by_y00 @ Jul 1st 2009 12:52AM

but what about dumble dee and notorious grime ?

Jack Tretton @ Jun 30th 2009 2:14PM

Who thinks this'll debut at a price lower than the current MSRP?

I like the look, although the power source will probably be external.

And I also dig the curvier "PS3" brand and absence of the Spider-Man font.

DangerMouse @ Jun 30th 2009 2:21PM

I think it will. They'll probably drop the price of the current PS3's before they announce the slim, then announce the slim when that supply is close to gone. But the price of it need to be 299.99 to be worth the trouble, which makes the PSPGo price even more hilarious.