Portable audio ’15 years behind home consoles’

The audio capabilities of current portable devices are 15 years behind home consoles, a senior audio manager at Sony has claimed.

SCEE’s Jason Page said that the PS Vita is a “staggering achievement” as it moves the portable platform closer to home console standards.

“Does PS Vita redefine portable audio? I think so, yes,” Page told Develop.

“If I look at current portable devices, their audio capabilities are around 15 years behind that of home consoles.”

He also claimed that, when compared to the resources normally available for game audio on a home console, such as memory and CPU use, the Vita could “without a doubt” deliver to that level.

He admitted that if a developer used all of the PS3’s capabilities for audio, then it would understandably deliver more quality.

He added that, compared to other portables on the market, including mobile phones and other game orientated devices, Vita’s audio is a “staggering achievement”.

“I honestly believe that PS Vita will deliver an audio experience that has never been heard before on a portable device,” he said.

The full extended interview can be read online here.