Sony announces PlayStation 4 with touchpad

Sony has announced its next-generation gaming console -- the PlayStation 4 --at an event in New York. The announcement gives the struggling Japanese electronics company a head start over Microsoft and an Xbox 360 successor.

Sony said it will go on sale in at least some countries in or around December, reports BBC.

The new PlayStation's updated controller closely resembles the PlayStation 3 controller but adds a touchpad, motion control and a "share" button. The Japanese electronics giant said the console will be part of a new ecosystem focused on hardware, software and "the fastest, most powerful gaming network."

The PlayStation 4 will be Sony's first major game console since the PlayStation 3 went on sale in 2006.