Boy Genius Report (BGR) is reporting that Sony’s next video game console will come with support for 4K resolution. BGR cites an unnamed source as saying the as-yet unannounced PlayStation 4 console will be on the front line of hardware manufacturers pushing 4K technology.
4K resolution refers to a resolution standard that uses a horizontal resolution of 4,000 pixels.
BGR also reported earlier this week, citing unnamed sources “close to Sony’s manufacturing partners,” that Sony has plans to release an 80-inch LED 4K TV set. This monster TV could be released as soon as this holiday season, and the cost of such a device would be around $30,000.
The PlayStation 2’s support for DVD playback meant that console became the first DVD player that many gamers had. As a result, the PlayStation 2 helped push the DVD format to the forefront of video media. Similarly, the PlayStation 3’s Blu-Ray capabilities have propelled the Blu-Ray format, though not with as much success as the PlayStation 2 did for DVD’s. Placing their bets on a new format and supporting it with their new console seems to have become a pattern for Sony, and so rumors of 4K support in the PlayStation 4 make perfect sense.
Details on Sony’s next console, though, have been sparse. Rumors back in March declared the console’s codename to be “Orbis,” and that the system would use an AMD processor. This is in contrast to Microsoft’s new console, which has seen many leaks in the past few months, including news of an updated Kinect device.