MS "plans" to drop Xbox price

Saw this on gamesindustry.biz:

In a lengthy internal email, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer has commented that the company has "aggressive plans" to reduce the cost of goods sold in its Xbox division as part of a broad cost management exercise.

As it stands, Microsoft makes a significant loss - thought to be over $150 - on each Xbox console it sells, and the Home and Entertainment Division of the company, which houses the Xbox project, regularly turns in large quarterly losses as a result.

Ballmer said that the company would be reducing the cost of goods sold in order to manage costs and increase growth without employee layoffs. Significant steps have already been made in slashing Xbox production costs, including moving manufacturing to China from Hungary, and replacing some components with cheaper alternatives.

Several news sites this morning appear to have picked up a rather unique spin on the statement - postulating that by "reducing the cost of goods sold", Ballmer was actually hinting at an Xbox price drop, or even a price drop for Xbox software. However, it's fairly clear from the statement that Microsoft is keen to reduce the cost base of the Xbox project, rather than making further aggressive market moves which would increase its losses on the system. Further price cuts seem unlikely in the near future.