According to documents filed with the US FTC, Microsoft believes that Sony will release a PS5 Slim this year, with a price around $400.
Insider Gaming reported last year that Sony was planning to release a PS5 with a removable disc drive by September 2023. The idea is that the console would be sold separately without the disc drive or in a complete package, which could mean that Sony is considering making the slim version of the PS5 the standard.
This would allow buyers to choose whether they want to purchase the console with or without an included disc drive, and have the option to add it later if needed.