Sony Considering PSP Music Store & Game Rentals?

Gamers are well aware that E3 is just around the bend, and whispers are sure getting hopes up around the web. Microsoft is expected to unveil a motion sensing system to compete with Microsoft's Wii, Sony just might debut a new thin PlayStation 3, and the PSP just might snag game rentals and music downloads. According to various sources, we're learning that Sony may be in serious discussions with "some of the major recording companies" after offering up music downloads via the PlayStation Network, and considering just how successful iTunes has become (and the tiny fact that the PSP has a music player already built-in), this all sounds like a match made in heaven.


In related news, curious surveys that have popped up recently are leading others to believe that someone at Sony is at least considering the possibility of selling game rentals via the PSP's online store. And, yet again, the handheld is already primed to accept it given its integrated Wi-Fi module and Sony's backend store. Couple this with the fact that Sony may also introduce a UMD-free PlayStation Portable Portable next month, and you've got quite the interesting scenario.


Would you be willing to download game rentals on your gaming handheld? Would you do so if you could purchase the title afterwards at a discount? We're pretty fond of both ideas here -- we've already seen that Nintendo is smoking Sony in the portable gaming arena, and it's atypical initiatives such as this that'll get people back on the PSP bandwagon.