PS4 and Xbox set to renew rivalry

Sony is expected to square off against Microsoft this week as it unveils its hotly anticipated PlayStation 4.

The Japanese electronics giant will finally lift the lid on the next-generation console at the E3 conference in Los Angeles.

The device is expected to go on show hours after Microsoft reveals further details about the latest addition to its Xbox series.

Their competition for living room supremacy will heat up as Apple stages a conference where it is expected to showcase its newest operating system.

Sony revealed some details about the PS4 earlier this year but has yet to offer gamers a complete view of the product — its first major game machine since the PlayStation 3 went on sale in 2006.

New features focus on social networking and remote access, while the device is equipped with a button allowing users to broadcast video of play to friends.

In February, PS4 system architect Mark Cerny said the console would have 8gb of memory and an updated controller called the DualShock 4. This will come with a touchpad, a headphone socket, and a light bar which can be tracked by a camera to detect where the player is.

Industry observers also expect big things from Microsoft following the introduction of the Xbox One last month — touted as an “all-in-one system” for games, live television, films, and music.

The machine follows in the footsteps of the Xbox 360, which sold 77m consoles around the world from 2005.

The introduction of the Xbox One sees Microsoft add a Blu-ray drive to its console and the use of Skype. An upgraded Kinect camera allows the device to better analyse body movements and can even read a user’s heartbeat when exercising.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Apple is to hold its Worldwide Developers Conference, where observers expect the US company to introduce iOS 7 for the iPhone and iPad and the next version of Mac OS X.

The company, which has faced recent scrutiny of its tax arrangements on both sides of the Atlantic, promises to offer an “in-depth look at what’s next in iOS and OS X, and learn how to take your apps to the next level”.