UPDATE 2: Well, this is interesting. We just heard from The NPD Group who told us, "In the last quarter (when both were on the market), the 80GB sold more units than the 40GB." When pressed for a more exact breakdown of the sales data between the two SKUs, NPD said they could not provide that. It's certainly a surprise to us, however, that the more expensive 80GB would have sold more than 40GB, which many have attributed the PS3 sales spike to.

Source: 

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/sony-ditching-80gb-ps3-due-to-poor-sales-says-analyst/19208/?biz=1 

Close if old ... 

i understand this article, this goes to show that backwards compatibility is important to some consumers or it could be some 40GB PS3 owners exchange their PS3's for the 80GB model because they failed to realize the 40GB doesn't provide backwards compatibility.

hmmm i wonder what sales for the PS3 will look like in the US if they drop the 80 GB sku. The ps3 isn't selling too good there already, now drop the higher selling sku and we might see a quite big drop in sales actually.

@wojtas

my thoughts exactly...

well in 2 days we'll know what actually is going on...

I don't think anything will happen in 2 days. Are you talking about the rumours of a $299 PS3 by Monday? I love it how one of the sources was an anonymous blog which was created on that same day. The other source (a forum), was clearly just discussing the $100 credit discount for people who bought a PS3.

Don't get your hopes high because most likely, nothing will happen at all.

^ is that from VGC?.... do you get it seperate or is it just based on motorstorm?

What about the 360 SKUs?

60% of all ps3 sold in the us were 80 GB skus in this quarter? That's is a helluva lot of sales that Sony might lose in the future. We have to remember that some of those 80 gb buyers might have been inclined to buy the 40 GB version if there was no other possibility, but then again what exactly are the chances for that to happen in all the cases?

The way i see it, Sony might lose as much as 15% of the potential buyers who will be put off because of the lack of BC

I would be put off for lack of BC, but I am only willing to pay about $50 for it. That said, I think it costs them over $80.

There are rummors they will be able to eventually do software emulation on the 40GB. The PS3 is supposed to be so powerful.... they should either do that, or make the PS2 and "optional" add-in board...

Well, the 80 gb had a one month lead over the 40 gb....
that's probably why it sold more

No way... Way more than that.

I'm saying from 25%-35%