Sony's next-generation console PlayStation 4 is reportedly being shipped to developers. New details have surfaced on what the console will contain.
VG247 has reported information from an anonymous source which states that Sony is distributing PlayStation 4 developer kits to developers.
This is the second iteration of the developer kit, with the first one appearing earlier this year. While the earlier version was a "graphics card", this one is a "modified PC".
The report says that the next update will be in January, when the specifications will be narrowed down as final.
In various meetings held at the U.S. this week, Sony chose to address the system not as "PlayStation 4" but as "Orbis".
The kits were based on AMD's A10 APU series and came with 8GB-16GB RAM. The console supported Blu-ray, debunking previous rumors which said there might not be Blu-ray for PS4.
It also had a standard 256GB hard drive. Sony is ensuring that the console has the ability to run 1080p60fps games in 3-D.
The kits have Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity. They also have HDMI slots.
The report mentions that there is "no difference" between PlayStation 3 and the Orbis input/output.
The hardware is not being made in Japan, it said.
The User Interface (UI) is where the difference between the Orbis and its predecessor exists. The UI of Orbis is designed to be more fluid, letting players navigate anywhere on the system just by pressing the PlayStation button mid-game. Sony gave the example of a DLC being bought from the PS Store mid-game without needing to quit and then returning back to play.
Any system and product update will take place in the background.
Details on the system's controller have not been revealed.
The report stated that Orbis might be announced at an event before E3 2013.