Despite that it's generally acknowledged to be under development by just about everyone under the sun, Sony still hasn't formally announced that they're actually working on a new console.
But now that the company has announced its next Destination PlayStation event, that might all be about to change. While new console announcements are often made at ginormous trade shows like E3, it's a long way off, and Sony likely wouldn't want to share any of the spotlight. Besides, smaller venues have played host to announcements in the past. Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 on "MTV Presents" back in May of '05.
As far as timing goes, the past few consoles seem to have been announced about a year or so before their actual release. GameStop CEO Paul Raines did claim he was told that 2014 would be the year that would see two new consoles following the Wii U's release. Further more, even game developers like Rockstar think that the current generation consoles are at the end of their respective lifecycles. So the timing seems to point that some kind of announcement will be made soon, by one company or another.
Apart from Sony, there will also be "third-party publishers on hand to present and share information about their products and plans for 2013." So evern if a console announcement is a bust, there should at least be some peeks at new games, ie. Last of Us, God of War: Ascension, Beyond, etc., maybe a new Killzone, or even something about The Last Guardian. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess.
The event takes place from Feb. 25 to the 28, at Arizona's Fairmount Scottsdale Princess resort. Guests will be "treated to food, drink, play, and a first look at all the amazing new releases coming from Sony Computer Entertainment America Entertainment in 2013."
Registration is open, but only for retail executives, and some gaming press.