I'd wondered why the cheaper PS3 was so low on itracker, but now this article from PSXextreme.com (and you guys thought adding a Z to vgcharts was a bad name!)

Sony Style Drops 20GB PS3

Sony keeps insisting that the 20GB PS3 model remains in full production, and yet, more and more retailers continue to drop it from their inventory. The latest is Sony Style. According to Joystiq, the store hasn't had any in stock for quite a while, and the 20GB PS3 isn't even listed at SonyStyle.com. And when asked, Joystiq received the following reply:

"We haven't had it in stock for a month ... We're not getting any more. You could maybe go out and find one."

And if you call any of the stores, you'll get a lot of the same responses. While the employees acknowledge that Sony hasn't officially discontinued the model, they simply say they haven't seen any in a "long time." At this point, it appears Sony Style has joined Best Buy - who stopped carrying the lower-end PS3 last month - as places consumers cannot find a 20GB PS3.

Rumors of a new PS3 with an 80GB hard drive continue to fly, especially with the release of the Xbox 360 Elite, and this kind of news only fuels such rumors. Sony's official stance on the matter is that retailers simply order what they need, and Sony provides it. If the store doesn't want any 20GB PS3s, Sony doesn't ship any. But at this rate, what would be the point of keeping it? They lose more money for Sony than the 60GB version, anyway. How many more retailers will drop the lower-end PS3 before Sony pulls the plug?

Or is it all BS and plenty of 20G PS3's are on the way?

Discuss 

So, how much would the 80 GB PS3 cost? It's can't be 600 dollars, and it can't be 700 dollars, around 650 is the way to do it, but I don't think it would sell.

On Itrackr:

Wii National Availability: 13%

PS3 20GB National Availability: 1%

PS3 60GB National Availability: 94%

XBOX 360 Premium National Availability: 78%

Nintendo DS Lite - Coral Pink National Availability: 26%

Nintendo DS Lite - Onyx Black National Availability: 26%

Nintendo DS Lite - Polar White National Availability: 33%

Can't the PSP on Itrackr

It sure looks like all the major retailers no longer have the 20gb model. My guess is the manufacture cost of it is almost identical to the 60gb version. So any losses that Sony incurs is only magnified with the 20gb model.

Sony has lost its mind. Can't wait to see a price tag on an 80g ps3.

I don't think this will help them at all. 120g 360 must sound better to most people who seem to think graphics are all that matters.

 hard drive size has nothing to do with graphics, unless you are saying that to distinguish the 360 and ps3 from the wii, which is also not all about grahics but whatever.  Anyway, Sony is stupid not to continue to sell the 20GB version considering it is the about the same price as a 360 premium with live for 2 years and has the same functionality plus a blu-ray player and slightly more hd space (360 uses more of the 20GB).  

I do not think they will release an 80GB PS3, though. 

It makes sense. From the very beginning Sony stated they would not produce as many 20g as 60g models. If I remember correctly they stated a 80/20 split between the two. Since most people probably would not even get the 20g version the retailers would just shift thier focus on carring one model. Easier for them as well, due to limited space. Sony gets less and less orders, reduces production, eventually stops it entirely and only sells one sku. Then they will probably read the market when 360Elite launches to see if they need to put out something with a larger drive or not. Really the only reason to get the larger drive would be for movie downloads. So maybe when Sony's HOME service launches. probably a similar 120g drive or so. Then drop the price of the 60g to $500 and keep the 120g at $600.

I don't know about this one. It seems as if companies aren't purchasing them because the 20 gig's seemed to stay on shelves longer than the 60 gigs. And releasing a PS3 with an 80 gig HD is kinda pointless unless it replaces the 60 gig (same price). You can easily swap out the HD for the PS3 with any standard 2.5 notebook hard drive.

I don't really know actuly, most because we in Europe doesn't get the 20 gb model. I don't know the difference between the models, but a 20 gb model in Sweden would be really sweet. If media market or any other Swedish big electronic stories can keep the good bundles the ps3 would kick xbox360 ass

I really think it can be good and bad to have the cheap version out, good for sales bad for the overall economical part for Sony.

Sony might drop the price of the 60GB to $500 later this year and make the 80GB $550. That would be pretty cool. Maybe Sony could offer a cheap 80GB HDD so 60GB owners can upgrade.