Revised PS3 console in the pipeline

Australian technology site Smarthouse has claimed that a revised PlayStation 3 console could be on sale in less than 18 months.

The report, quoting a "Sony insider", states that the machine will be based on the same chipset as the PS3, differing from the current model in the 'drive bay and attachment area'.

The article adds that the new system will offer a software suite for managing streaming content from TVs to hi-fis. It quotes the insider as saying, "We have even looked at a Sony home server based on PlayStation technology. This would allow consumers to connect home automation devices to the Sony server while also delivering online gaming and access to an extensive movie and music library."

This latest article adds weight to a recent report from Reuters, which stated that Sony is considering launching a PlayStation 3 with a larger hard drive.

Many of the updates could be installed simply by revising the firmware however, so unless more hardware details emerge a full new PS3 machine seems doubtful.

A Sony spokesman has refuted the Austalian article as "garbage".