PSP Production Partially Outsourced To Taiwan

Officials from Sony have confirmed that part of the company's PSP production has been outsourced to Hon Hai Precision Industry – Taiwan’s top electronics parts maker. Hon Hai already produces the PlayStation 2 console for Sony, with PSP production apparently already having started earlier this month in China’s southern city of Shenzhen. The distribution of production for the console was heavily hinted at by Sony’s Ken Kutaragi in May. At this time he indicated the need for the company to increase production of the console, and indeed lack of stock was one of the primary reasons for the European launch delay. The company is also keen to lower production costs, which are thought to be extremely high for the complex portable. During his first statement, Kutaragi’s stated aim was to double production from one million units a month to two million. It is not clear whether this is still the goal, but the company has said that it plans to ship thirteen million consoles in the financial year ending March 31st – a million more than previously stated. The PSP is due to launch in Europe this Thursday, September 1st.