If the Xbox is $500 and the ps4 has better hardware, then the ps4 will cost $600 again.
Publishers have already decided to make connections required for play regardless of the platform.
And extra options on how to pay for the console are actually a good thing. Don't have $500 to put down, then pay a little more over time. Don't like that idea pay the $500 and be done with it.
Sony will be stuck with its $600 price tag and again only the most loyal Sony followers will purchase the system until the price goes down.