Sony Corp. The company two weeks ago reaffirmed that development of the Xbox, said to be Microsoft's biggest product launch in its storied 26-year existence, is on track to an autumn debut.
Some analysts expect a date to be announced next month.
Mauricio Santillan, Microsoft's top executive for Latin America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, said in an interview he would not have the Xbox available in Latin America for the 2001 Christmas gift-giving season. Manufacturing limitations were to blame for the gap between the North American and Latin American roll-outs of what will be Microsoft's first video games console, he said. Glitches last year dragged on the U.S. roll-out of PlayStation 2. Only half the expected consoles made it to U.S. store shelves. Santillan said he expected sales of the machine in Latin America to trail the U.S. pace, but he said the machine would help Microsoft penetrate the region's consumer market.