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PS3 European Launch 23 March, $835
Andy_R writes "Sony has finally committed themselves to a European launch date for the PS3, after disappointing European fans by not having the promised worldwide simultaneous launch, then missing the lucrative Christmas period. The BBC is reporting that the console will arrive on the 23rd of March. EU fans will only be getting the 60Gb version at first, and it will be priced at 599 Euros or 425 pounds in Britain. At today's exchange rates, that's US$ 835.99! From the article: 'A problem manufacturing blue diodes, used in high-definition Blu-ray disc drives, forced the Japanese firm to announce another delay but only for European customers. Sony said the decision was made because Europe was logistically the most complex market for distribution."
Delay for months, don't sell the version most people wanted to buy and thereby put yourself 200€ over the closest competition (unless you count the MacMini which is more expensive than a PS3). Sony's statement? "Europeans are used to waiting". Gee, thanks for demonstrating that you're not going to do something about that like your two competitors have done (360 and Wii were released less than a month after their US release). Next thing you know SCEE is wondering why we don't buy any PS3s.
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
425 quid isn't much if you live in the UK. The current exchange rate is irrelevant unless you are buying a UK model with USD. Your other problem is comparing pre-tax US prices with post 17.5% VAT ones. Add that to the US price and you're over $700.
However, I fully agree with your message. If you want prices to drop, don't buy artificially inflated priced product. But we all know that isn't going to happen. There's a reason the car manufacturers refer to Britain as the "golden island".
The Us dollar is at record lows w.r.t to the Euro. You can't use Todays spot exchange rate to get a real idea of cost/valu. The reailty is the US dollar does not buy as much in the last few years. Lately, everything looks very expensive when converted to USD!
h tml
In canada, The PS3 60G is listed at $699 at best buy (sold out, of course). Here in Ontario we add the 14% vat/sales tax to that to get a total of $796CDN. In Europe, the VAT is usually included in the price, so a 600 Euro works out to around $900CDN with tax. So there is about a $100 higher price in Europe, not the 200-300 difference the article header would imply. For the additional complexity of serving all those country standards (what, 9 different power cords?) that is not unreasonable.
I apologize for being rational.
JON
http://www.forexblog.org/2006/06/usd_near_oneyea.
At least you have it announced, it still remains to be announced in Australia. I've seen two PS3's in Australia and both of them were running Linux at Linux.conf.au 2007 (from the Yellow Dog Linux guys, so I don't think they were local). So to answer your question? It isn't. I can understand localization issues in parts of Europe might cause delays but for Australia were technically its British English but due to the absolute raping that occured during our early TV development where the US TV producers firmly established their foothold in Australia (to the point that easily 50% or more commercial TV in Australia is American; the Australian Broadcasting Commission's Radio National weekly 'The Science Show' covered this in one of its broadcasts on TV in Australia), American English would be accepted normally without a second thought. I'd almost suggest it'd be easier to ship the PS3 from Japan to Australia than it would to get it from Japan to the UK - especially via boat.
I always wondered where this setting was...
Mod parent up. The reason why European prices are often higher is not because they're being sold at significantly higher prices. It's because the high tax rates (VAT - Value Added Tax) are computed into the price of the goods rather than rung up separately at the time of purchase. Many Europeans actually prefer this situation as something that costs 200 pounds/euros will still cost 200 pounds/euros at the register. Here in the US we have to calculate the taxes before arriving at the price we'll pay at the register.
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
I also like the idea of including taxes in posted prices; it makes calculating things much easier, especially across state lines and even cities where taxes can vary.
Even so, the PS3 is still more expensive in the EU. Assuming a 10% tax rate in the U.S (which is higher than most places), you're looking at $660 total for a PS3, still far less than what it is in the EU after exchange.