Sony is said to be working on a slimmed down version of the PlayStation 4 and some images of the rumored gaming console have recently leaked online.
Sony released the PS4 in November 2013 and since then the console has given stiff competition to rivals. The Japanese company is expected to launch its next gaming console called Neo in September and rumors hint it may also officially unveil the slimmer PS4 along with the Neo.
Details of the thinner PS4 previously emerged from online auction website Gumtree, and since then the seller has provided images of the console to various publications. Reports also suggest that some people have already got their hands on the slim PS4 and it is not an elaborate hoax.
If the leaked images of the slim PS4 are to be believed, then the gaming console will have rounded corners and will be available in matte finish. Now, The Verge has received some pictures packaging from the Gumtree seller, and this particular model appears to pack in 500 GB hard drive. The leaked images show that the slimmer PS4 seems to be a European model. It is not clear if the slim PS4 supports 4K streaming.
Images at the NeoGAF forum compare the original PS4 with the unannounced slim PS4, which suggests the purported new gaming console will be quite slimmer than its predecessor.
Some market observers believe that the leaked images are those of the Neo. However, some gamers opine that the slim PS4 is just a response to Microsoft's Xbox One S.
"I have strong doubts this is the long rumored 'Neo', but rather Sony's response to the XB1S. Slight upgrade to the CPU with 4K Blu-ray playback capability, redesigned enclosure and internals for cheaper production costs, and possibly better wifi. I think Neo will come later, to coincide with Scorpio's release," says a Redditor.
Microsoft released the Xbox One S in August this year and it is about 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One. The gaming console also supports vertical orientation with a stand. Microsoft has made some design changes such as capacitive eject keys and power buttons replaced with physical buttons in the Xbox One S. Apart from being thinner, the Xbox One S also supports 4K resolution video.
A slimmer PS4 may attract many gamers who are looking to purchase a new Sony gaming console. The leaked images of the slim PS4 seem quite convincing, but gamers will have to wait until Sony officially confirms the existence of the gaming console.
