In the Daz Forums they are running an unofficial "guess the release date" for V4.  This is the closest to an acknowledgement of V4's exsistance that I've seen over there.  But I do know they had mentioned it was on the horizon in a magazine interview (I can't remember which mag) back in August-ish.

I'm looking foreward to V4 and I still use V2 from time to time for background characters and I use V3RR a lot, I've even used her for close up work and been very suprised by the results.

I suspect that the changes in the new Poser 7 almost demand a new version of any cutting edge character models.  It is progress, and you have to rmember, how long has V3 been around?  Sure, when she first came out most people owned machines that would choke on two of her in a scene, but computers keep getting faster, and in three years, V3 is going to look like nothing more than a computer video game character in comparison.

As far as "hobbiest" software, if that is your feeling,t hen stick to Poser 4 or Daz Studio.  Poser 5 and since have been closing the gap with professional software and more importantly, the software has been being used more and more by professionals.  I have used Poser since version 4 for animations for Television and small budget movies.  Not because it was easy to use, but because it is the premier character software.  I know pros who use Maya and still rip characters through Poser first.  Unless you have a budget to hire model designers or you have the time to design your own models, Poser is essential for animated characters.

Poser 7 has (supposedly) addressed a number of rendering issues and will render our old scenes with two or more V3s with unequalled reliability and with vast speed improvement.  It probably will have no problems with V4.

I just hope V4 lives up to its heritage and promise.  I have high hopes and I will be anxiously awaiting the character to see what she is capable of.

Cheers.