Ben-DutkaLive and learn.
When the PlayStation 4 was initially unveiled, it seemed clear that Sony had learned from past mistakes. And SCE CEO Andrew House would agree with that assessment.
During a recent MCV UK interview (as cited by Examiner ), House said the rough ride Sony experienced during the early days of the PS3 gave them invaluable feedback, and they acted on that feedback:
"Anyone can point out how those learnings have translated into the decisions we’ve made around PS4 –– selection of architecture, emphasis on ease of development, understanding PS4 had to be a highly connected and social experience. These were products of some tough learning we did on PS3."
Yes, in many ways, the PS4 was a complete 180 when compared to the PS3 at launch. It was cheaper than anticipated (in fact, $200 cheaper than the $600 60GB PS3 when it released), it featured off-the-shelf PC parts that allowed developers to get more easily acquainted with the hardware (PlayStation consoles have been notoriously difficult to design for), and Sony worked to make the system as available as possible. More units are on the way to retailers right now and they've already sold over 2 million.
At about this time in 2006, the doom-and-gloom headlines dominated the Internet. It really was tough for the PS3 out of the gate, but Sony is definitely at fault for that. And they have indeed learned.