Sony files for 80GB PS3, says there are no current plans

Seems like the totally secret announcement of the Xbox 360 Elite -- and it's strapping 120GB hard drive -- may have spurred Sony to consider bumping the PlayStation 3's already user-replaceable 60GB hard drive to ... an 80GB hard drive! An FCC filing dated March 2, 2007 announces the addition of a new model, CECHE01, which includes some tweaks to the Bluetooth antenna and, notably, a larger hard drive. Unlike Microsoft's latest SKU, the CECHE01 will replace the anemic 60GB CECHA01. Or maybe it won't.

According to Sony, "The 80GB we're not making a comment on, but we don't have any plans at the moment." While it's true that the interior workings of giant megacorporations confuse and bewilder us, we're still left pondering how they managed to file a "Permissive Change Letter" with the FCC with no "plans at the moment." With the 20GB PS3 model being a no-show in Europe, and increasingly so here as well, maybe Sony just wants to stick those missing gigabytes back into the marketplace. Or something.

[Thanks, Cosmo & Dolla Dolla]

Read - FCC "Permissive Change Letter" for 80GB PS3 (via PC World)
Read - No current plans for 80GB PS3 (Eurogamer)