Digitimes reports that demand for different key PS3 components is roughly doubling.

The most likely explanations:

1. Sony is gearing up for the launch of a new PS3 model (such as the rumored slimline)
2. Sony is planning a price drop and is ramping up supply to satisfy the anticipated demand surge.
3. Both

I’d imagine that Sony is planning to launch the slimline at the same time as the price drop to create a bigger impact than the two events would have separately.