Squishing Next XMB Rumors

Yes, the NXE (the New Xbox Experience) is a vast improvement over the previous Xbox 360 GUI. And yes, some say, and may be right, that it's just a rip-off of the PS3's XMB (even down to the three letter acronym) with a slight tilt to the right to avoid copyright violations.

So, many are wondering if the next firmware update for the PS3 will be something of a revolution, much in the way the NXE was for the Xbox 360. The short answer? No.

In a PC World interview Sony's Director of Network Operations, Eric Lempel, chimed in on the PS3 interface overhaul rumors:

You'll definitely see another firmware update this year, but it won't be like what the rumors say. We're working on some consumer features that consumers will definitely like, but it's nothing like what you're reading about, and at this time I don't want to confirm any of those features because they're not completely locked down yet. We're looking pretty good, and timing is a little rough, but just in terms of that rumor, it's not the case.

Does the PS3 really need a GUI overhaul? Tough call. I happen to really like the XMB, but when one company innovates, it's hard for its competitor not to follow suit.

[Source: PC World]