The PS3 "super slim," which has been rumored for a quite a long time, is poised to shake the console market and strengthen Sony's position against Microsoft, M2 Research analyst Billy Pidgeon said.

Sony has so far made no confirmation about the PS3 super slim console, but the Web is awash in rumors that the Japanese electronic & entertainment giant is preparing to launch a second-generation slim console, code-named PS3-4000.

According to unconfirmed reports, the new super slim PS3 has Bluetooth and 802.11b/g, and will come in various models all the way up to 500GB, with an attractive price tag of $150.

In a recent interview, Pidgeon said, "A dramatic price reduction to $150 for PS3 would be terrific for Sony and for the industry overall. A value-priced PS3 could rapidly increase the base."

Gamers, particularly in European countries, are under intense financial constraints due to weak economies. Thus, value-priced PS3 could attract more customers and rapidly increase Sony's gamer base in Europe, and free up more revenue for higher software sales.

The affordable price tag of the potential PS3 super slim would force Microsoft to reduce prices of its Xbox 360 sooner or later in retaliation.