Sony's PSP 2 Likely Delayed, But Worth the Wait

The next version of Sony's PSP (PlayStation Portable) may not appear until next year. But rumors also suggest it will have much more impressive specifications than originally assumed.

One report says that the PSP 2 will be a quad-core system, compared with the single core of the original PSP. In effect, that will be like having four separate processors able to carry out four tasks simultaneously.

A quad-core system is what you'd expect to see in high-end consumer computers and would be extremely powerful for a handheld machine. It would follow in the footsteps of the PlayStation 3 (PS3), which has eight cores and has been adopted by computer enthusiasts for heavy-duty processing. In fact, a bank of 200 PS3s proved enough to crack a common algorithm for protecting secure websites.

PSP 2 Graphics On Par With PlayStation 2

If the PSP2 quad-core rumor is true, the most likely set-up would be the same as the PS3: one actual processor and the rest dedicated to graphics processing. The operation of these graphics processors would then have to be modified when enthusiasts harness the PS3 for other uses.

There's also the possibility that this enhanced power could help the device play PlayStation 2 (PS2) games in their original form, though of course they'd have to be downloaded rather than run from PS2 discs. (Source: pcworld.com)

Touchscreen On Offer

Other rumors about the PSP2 suggest that it will have two cameras, one at the front and one at the back. This would likely be so it could act as both a standard digital camera and as a webcam for use while playing games. It's also said that the device will have both physical keypads and a touchscreen. (Source: vg247.com)

PSP 2 at E3 Unveiling Unlikely

The other main speculation concerns the release date. Games manufacturers had previously been working under the assumption that the PSP 2 would be available some time this year. It's now said a 2011 release date is more likely, meaning it probably won't be demonstrated at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, in June, arguably the biggest convention for the gaming industry.

A fall release would make much more sense given that the PSP 2 would definitely generate sales as a Christmas gift, so any delay would probably have to be down to circumstances outside of Sony's control.