Sony's portable player won't go on sale in the U.S. and Europe until 2012, after the crucial holiday season, according to a report from Bloomberg. Japanese consumers will be able to buy a Vita in December, however.
Sony had originally planned to roll out the Vita in the U.S. and Europe this year. Sony reps could not be reached for comment on the report. No reason has been given for the apparent delay.
The Vita, which sports a 5-inch display and touch pads, will retail for $249 in the U.S. Nintendo's 3DS portable gaming console had sold for the same price, but the company announced last week that it planned to cut that price by $80 after it posted disappointing sales in the U.S.
The delay is the latest setback for Sony, which posted a 59% drop in its operating profit during its second quarter in part because of the PlayStation cyberattack and the Japanese tsunami. Sony's consumer products and services unit, which includes its PlayStation businesses, also posted a 94% drop in operating income.
For a look at the Sony Vita, see the pictures below.