Sony has decided to combine two of the company's biggest upcoming projects, the PlayStation 4 and the "world's first" 4K movie download service together, according to a report from The Verge.
4K, for those who do not know, is ultra-high definition movies and pictures, and something Sony considers the next step in televisions. Much like how the PlayStation 3 was the entry point for most people into the world of Blu-ray, Sony is hoping that the PlayStation 4 will do the same for the 4K movie service.
There is a catch to all this: 4K movies would require huge amounts of download times, as the movies can be more than 100GB..
Phil Molyneux, Sony Electronics president and COO, said that current broadband speeds and 4K file sizes are "challenges that we have to work through... we've got some very good ideas that will make that a comfortable consumer experience."
While the PlayStation 4 will be a staggering piece of technology, 100GB of data is an intimidating number. Customers can expect download times to take overnight with the current technology available. However, the PlayStation 4 is a machine that is built to last, and eventually technology should catch up to the challenge. But it still is a big stretch to say that this technology will be practical or in demand by the time the PlayStation 4 hits shelves at the end of 2013.
It is important to note that the PlayStation 4 will only support 4K movies and pictures, but not games, and that users will need a 4K television to get the full experience. Sony is reaching for the stars on this one, but if the technology is as impressive as it is rumored to be, 4K could take off like Blu-ray did.
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