Sony has announced it will stop selling the original 20GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 models in Japan in order to focus on the new slimmed down 40GB version. Unlike the two original versions, the newest PS3 model offers no backwards compatibility for PS2 games, it has two high-speed USB ports instead of four and has no super audio CD system - hence, is less expensive to make.
Even though the 20GB and 60GB SKUs will no longer be produced in the country, Sony does not intend for the 40GB model to remain the only retail configuration in the long term. The company said it "will launch new models to respond to end-user preferences sometime in the future."