Sony considers producing PS3 with larger hard drive

A Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson has confirmed that the company is "considering" producing a new version of PlayStation 3 with a larger hard drive.

The comments come just weeks after Sony filed an FCC application which referred to an 80GB PS3. Currently 20GB and 60GB models are available in Japan, with SCEA recently announcing that the 20GB version is to be discontinued in North America.

According to Bloomberg, spokesperson Satoshi Fukuoka said the decision is "in line with our strategy as we had planned to choose models based on consumer needs".

Bloomberg also reports that Sony is "considering introducing the model with a bigger hard disk", as stated by Fukuoka. He did not provide any further details.

An article published earlier by Reuters quoted a Nikkei Business report which says Sony Corp. will enjoy a five-fold increase in operating profits this year.

The spike will be due to increased sales of LCD TVs and better performance by Sony's games division, according to Nikkei. Last year the division lost an estimated YEN 200 billion (USD 1.67 billion).

Nikkei also claimed that Sony will boost PS3 shipments in 2007/08 to 10 million units - a rise of more than 65 per cent over the 6 million units the company aimed to ship by March 2007. However, speaking to Bloomberg, Sony later denied the report.