Sony to finally unveil PlayStation 4 this week

Sony is expected to square off against Microsoft this week as it unveils its widely-anticipated PlayStation 4.

The Japanese electronics company will launch the next generation console at a conference in Los Angeles.

The device is expected to go on show hours after Mircosoft reveals further details about the latest addition to its Xbox series.

Their competition for living room supremacy will heat up as Apple stages a conference where it is expected to showcase its newest operating system.

All three tech companies are keeping tight-lipped about precisely what they have in store.

But rumours suggest each plans to make a splash.

Sony revealed some details about the PS4 earlier this year but has yet to offer gamers a complete view of the product - its first major game machine since the PlayStation 3 went on sale in 2006.

New features focus on social networking and remote access, while the device is equipped with a button allowing users to broadcast video of play to friends.

At an event in New York in February, PS4 system architect Mark Cerny said the console would have eight gigabytes of memory and an updated controller called the DualShock 4. This will come with a touchpad, a headphone socket and a light bar which can be tracked by a camera to detect where the player is.

There has been no indication yet as to the console's price.

Meanwhile, crowds are expected to gather over in San Francisco for Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) where observers expect the US company to introduce the next versions of its iOS operating system - iOS 7 - for the iPhone and iPad and the next version of Mac OS X.

The company, which has faced recent scrutiny of its tax arrangements on both sides of the Atlantic, promises to offer an "in-depth look at what's next in iOS and OS X, and learn how to take your apps to the next level".