Is Sony's clawback of functionality legal (and/or strategically sound)?

Something I wonder about: For various reasons (e.g., the 2005 CD rootkit episode) the name "Sony" has very negative associations in my mind. Even before reading this article, if I were in the market for a game console, I wouldn't get a PS3; that "Sony" on the box is a real turn-off. And there might be lots of people like me.

And so I wonder whether this move of Sony's might very well be strategically sound. I don't know whether it will achieve whatever goals Sony has, but I suspect that it will not offend very many customers. The people it would offend are people like me; but they already stay away from Sony, and so do not own a PS3.

On the other hand:

> I am curious as to the legality of altering a product offering ex post, ....

So am I.