Hirai: PS3 manufacturing hasn't started yet

In a recent interview, Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai said that the PS3 isn't yet in production. "We haven't started manufacturing yet," Hirai said. "Some of our ops guys were actually just in China, and also in Japan just reviewing the [production] lines and everything else. But they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going. We've not announced and we haven't set really a specific date to say, "As of this day we're going to start manufacturing."

He also mentions total expected units by the end of the year, and responds to the Yankee Group report that projected a 44% market share for the PS3 by 2011. "I really can't say one way or the other whether that percentage is the right percentage. My plan basically is to make sure that we keep at least as much market share as we have had with the PS1 and the PS2. We don't plan on ceding any of the market share to our competitors, especially after the cycle has gone deep." The PlayStation 3 will launch Nov. 17.