Sony recently revealed its mid-generational refresh of its flagship PlayStation 4 console when it announced a new slimmer PS4, and the upgraded PS4 Pro. The unveiling soon caused a storm on social media and online gaming forums as the Japanese company revealed that PS4 Pro wouldnt come with a 4K Blu-ray Drive.

The missing 4K Blu-ray Drive took a lot of people by surprise, not least Sony’s arch rival in the console wars, Microsoft. Xbox executives expressed their surprise, and in doing so, their delight, at the upcoming PS4 consoles’ lack of a built-in Ultra HD Blu-ray drive. Microsoft’s newest console, the Xbox One S supports an Ultra HD Blu-ray drive, as will its Project Scorpio console slated for release sometime in 2017.

Wait, What! No Ultra HD Blu-ray drive?

So why did Sony decide to ditch the Ultra HD Blu-ray drive? Industry analysts agree that the PS3 console’s Blu-Ray player was hugely important for the growth of both the format and console. So why change a winning formula?

4K discs are the latest iteration of the audio/visual format, and are set to take the A/V industry by storm. There are many reasons why the company may have decided not to have a Ultra HD Blu-ray drive on the PS4 Pro. Currently, the official line is that Sony felt that streaming was the future.

This is where the crux of the matter is. Given the success Sony had with the PS3 as people bought the console in droves because it offered both high-end gaming as well as a good blu-ray disc player, why would the company not continue in the same way with its newer consoles? – And to think that the company would need every penny it could get after many years of being in the red.

Perhaps the PS4 helping the Japanese tech giant back into profitability has made it more bold again.

The answers may not be clear-cut, but there are some clues, and we’ll take a look at some of those now. Firstly, Sony doesn’t seem to have a fully ready Ultra HD system of its own. At the recently ended IFA technology show in Berlin, all the company had to show was a prototype Ultra HD Blu-ray player. The device, called UBP-X1000ES, is only expected to start shipping in March of next year.

So perhaps Sony didn’t have the technology ready in time for PS4. The company then may be masking this as a forward-looking move rather than a mistake. We will see.

Is Streaming the Answer?

Secondly while physical disc sales may be falling, although conversely, sales of records are currently on the rise again, streaming is now ubiquitous. Even those who still prefer to have physical copies of their audio and visual content have streaming accounts and devices. Most households now stream at least part of their content through different devices and services.

Perhaps this is the gamble that Sony is taking. In fact, this may well turn out to be a well calculated one, as streaming currently shows no signs of slowing down. Add to that improving broadband speeds, which while also not universal, are getting faster all the time.

This may mean that Sony is keeping an eye on the future of how people consume their media. Not only the A/V content the consume, but the platform they use to access it.

And there you have it, with that one stroke Sony may have just cemented its place at the top of the console pile again. But has it?

So many questions, and despite the company’s best efforts, so few answers on those that matter to the average gamer or current PS4 owners wondering whether they should upgrade to the PS4 Pro.

In any case there is nothing wrong with the PS4 Pro itself. Its a great console, and a much needed upgrade on the first generation PS4, especially with PS VR on the way. This is especially true as well of the gradual shift to 4K technology, the PS4 Pro will still be capable of achieving the ULtra HD resolutions, it’s just that users wont have to use physical discs to do so.

The danger is that while looking to consolidate its future, Sony may have alienated some of its current customer base. On top of that the missing 4K Blu-Ray drive may also put off casual gamers who still have an affinity for discs.

In short, there is a danger of Sony pushing away potential customers into the hands of its rival and the Xbox One S.

Sony’s Iphone 7 Missing headphone Jack Moment

Sony’s decision to not include an Ultra HD Blu-Ray drive in the PS4 Pro can be eqauted to Apple’s decision to do away with the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Technology is continuously evolving and wires and cables are becoming a thing of the past. This does not mean that there are no people with headphones and other accessories that require the 3mm jack, on the contrary, most people have them. But Apple went and did it anyway- “deal with it”

This is why with all types of technological hardware, there are also all types of 3rd party applications that help make life easier for us. Its a bold move to make, and we may yet see some PS4 Pro peripheries pop up in the near future. Lets hope so. Such a solution may just help Sony Limit the damage.

But will Sony’s radical step prove to be a step too far? Only time will tell whether Sony is indeed moving with the times, or has just handed the throne over to Microsoft after years of dominating the console market.

What do you think of the decision not to have a 4K Blu-ray Drive on the PS4 Pro? -Share your thoughts with other PS4 fans in the comments section below!