New PS3 Model Possibly On The Way As Images Surface

Here's an interesting bit of news for you: Sony may be planning to unleash a brand new PS3 model. Images of the redesigned console were first revealed in an apparent Sony filing with Brazilian telecommunications regulator Anatel and were quickly picked up by Technoblog. Now the images are spreading across the internet like wildfire, and we have to say that they have us pretty intrigued.

This new model looks relatively similar to the PS3 Slim we all know and love, but there are a few pretty major changes. First up, the new console appears to be smaller than the PS3 Slim and looks as if it's ditching the disc slot in favor of a top-loading disc tray. This new PS3 also comes with a ridged texture, which admittedly looks a little out of place when compared to the sleek consoles of the current generation.

The database on Anatel's website also shows that Sony Brasil is after approval for three different versions of this new PS3 model, each with a different size hard drive: 16GB, 250GB, and 500GB. Other than the difference in hard drive sizes, however, these consoles are the same. The idea that Sony is planning to offer a version with a measly 16GB hard drive suggests to us that the company is looking to market this new console to budget gamers and families, much like Microsoft has done with the 4GB Xbox 360 S.

Of course, these images could all be fake, which remains a very real possibility. Remember though that we saw the first images of the PS3 Slim through a leak similar to this, and back then a lot of people thought it was a hoax as well. The low-quality images do make a us bit suspicious, so we'll have to wait until Sony makes a comment on these new pictures before we can make the call. Perhaps if this is all real, we'll get an official reveal at Gamescom in Germany next month? Stay tuned.

[via Joystiq]