Whitmarsh said the MP4-19 was an evolutionary step forward from the MP4-18's design, but had a new engine and incorporated a lower degree of technical risk.
Not only is the new design unfriendly to home entertainment centers (where most PS3s reside, we'd argue), but it feels cheap and unstable -- a distinct step down from the previous two models' front-loading tray design.
Apple's reputation for market-leading innovation took a knock after the iPhone 5 was seen as an iteration of an earlier design rather than a characteristic step-change.