boobless Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 Taiwanese DVD-ROM makers are eyeing outsourcing opportunities as Microsoft is planning the launch of second-generation Xbox game consoles this summer. The new game machine?s cut-rate price, however, is likely to drive down contract prices of its DVD drive by as much as 30%, local manufacturers reported. Currently Thomson, Samsung and Philips make the DVD drives in the Xbox. It has been speculated that Benq, which handles part of the manufacturing for Philips, is able to quote a higher price for the game system-based DVD drives than the US$40 for the PC-use DVD- ROM counterparts. Benq refused to comment, but industry sources said the company fetches US$42-45 per unit. How long that high margin can continue is unclear. The Xbox?s lackluster performance in the global market, plus escalating competition with rivals like Nintendo and Sony, has led Microsoft to cut prices of the console and demand savings from suppliers. On May 10, Reuters reported sources as saying that Microsoft had told major US retailers that it plans to cut the price of the Xbox within days. In Japan, where the Xbox was introduced in February, Microsoft slashed the launch price to US$262. In Europe and Australia, Microsoft cut the price of the Xbox by as much as 38% within six weeks of launch. Microsoft last month said it would sell only 3.5 million to four million of the consoles this fiscal year, down from the 4.5 million to six million units that it predicted earlier. Industry sources said contract prices of second-generation Xbox machines, to be launched in September, will be roughly US$249 or even lower. Based on that calculation, contract prices of key components for the new model, such as the power supply, cable connectors and DVD drives, are dropping by 20-30%, people familiar with Microsoft?s procurement plans said. Local DVD drive manufactures said that despite the contract price declines, they should still maintain their former profitability level because prices of pick-up heads (PUHs) are dropping and chipsets will possibly become cheaper in the future. http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article....pages=06&seq=32 -:roll:- <|> _/_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MxxCon Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 i doubt it'll be actualy xbox "2". if it is, sucks for those who already own an xbox:ermm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.dan Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 :( :( :( :( ..... :) :) :) at least i'm getting my xbox mod chip soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 i think its the same thing just redesigned to be more coast effective and cheaper. Like Nintendo and Sony did when they made newer versions of their systems; however, they did it about 5 years later, not less than a year. MS should spend that many on games and not pushing the hardware, the hardware will sell if the games are good, PS2 had no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo1980 Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 The new design will be a lighter Xbox, smaller in size, with an AMD chip, a smaller controller and 100 $ cheaper than current Xbox prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 Originally posted by neo1980 The new design will be a lighter Xbox, smaller in size, with an AMD chip, a smaller controller and 100 $ cheaper than current Xbox prices sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo1980 Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 Originally posted by username sure... just wait and see :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
username Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 and you know this how? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altezza Veteran Posted May 14, 2002 Veteran Share Posted May 14, 2002 Looks like MS have conceded XBox losing its competition with mighty PS2. MS will have to get more cash on this next version of XBox. Nahh just my theory anyway :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomAI Posted May 14, 2002 Share Posted May 14, 2002 is it still XBox 1? will it cost $99 or $199. doesn't matter, Sony and Nintendo all the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadaaron Posted May 14, 2002 Share Posted May 14, 2002 it'll still b xbox 1 just an upgraded system of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JnCoKiLLa Posted May 14, 2002 Share Posted May 14, 2002 i wonder what will be in the newer version......shiiiii*t if its wort it i will get it and sell off my one i got now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted May 14, 2002 Share Posted May 14, 2002 its not really upgraded, its just cheaper dvd drive, hard drive etc, it should perform the same as every other xbox, definately not better just like psx and psone, just redesigned to be smaller and cheaper to manufacture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleeper Veteran Posted May 14, 2002 Veteran Share Posted May 14, 2002 i think this may also be a time when they battle the modchip by changing the arcitecture of the board... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+primortal Subscriber² Posted May 14, 2002 Subscriber² Share Posted May 14, 2002 Just as-long-as MS adopts Sony's style and that the next version of the XBox will play Xbox 1 titles. I hate that Nintendo comes out with a newer systems you cannot play older titles on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzkrg Posted May 14, 2002 Share Posted May 14, 2002 in my opinion, the only way the xbox is gonna make it, is if people can copy games. if the xbox was hackable and the games were rip-able right off the bat, the xbox would have had much larger success.. that is the only reason i bought my PS1, and the only reason i will buy my PS2 (once the price drops to 199) i know 2 people who have ps2's and also bought xbox's.. both of them have already sold there xbox's on ebay, not becuz the xbox didnt kick ass, or the games sucked.. it's because they have hundreds of games for the ps2, and only like 5 or 6 for the xbox.. and the 5 or 6 games they had on xbox, they got for free for the ps2.. now this isnt ment as a moral debate about whats right and what is wrong.. i'm just talking about hardware sales here.. i never even considered buying an xbox, because i knew (at the time) it was impossible to hack.. so my money went straight to sony.. and i imagine that is why the ps1 had such a enormous fan base.. everyone knew they could mod it and get free games, or copy rented games.......... once you have that huge fan base, it's easy to push the next gen on them.. MS screwed up my making there system TOO secure.. now if they drop the price to 199$ and all these rumors of mod chips are true.. well then things may change.. but i can assure you it wont be because of a redesign or marketing.. it will be because people can put a mod chip in them.. /me thinks anywayz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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