Sony Unable To Increase PSP Production

Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi has discussed the relative slowness of the PSP roll-out further in a recent Japanese press conference, revealing that it is the Sony-produced graphical processing unit (GPU) which is limiting the speed of PSP production. The complex 90 nanometer manufacturing process needed for the chip is limiting the speed at which complete consoles can be produced and shipped from Sony's custom fabrication plant in Japan. It is still all but impossible to purchase a PSP in Japan without first pre-ordering, unfortunately, and the limits the manufacturing speed of the GPU is placing on overall production could affect the proposed March release date of the console in the West - as well as Sony’s stated plan to ship 3 million units before April 1st, 2005. This is, of course, not the first time that over-complex chip design has adversely affected a new product launch from Sony, with the PlayStation 2 suffering similar problems at launch. Sony has conceded that it has supply issues with the PSP launch, however, recently apologizing for the lack of available handhelds via a statement on the company's Japanese website.