Tech Reporter Claims Xbox 720 Coming Holiday 2012

A technology reporter is claiming that he’s heard inside rumor-rumblings regarding Microsoft’s next console and that the system will go the route of Apple, with lots of cross-platform integration. He also claims the next console will arrive in late 2012.

According to CVG, tech reporter from the Windows Weekly video, Paul Thurrott, stated that…

"What I'm hearing is [the next Xbox is] going to come out for holidays next year, meaning that they would almost have to announce this at CES, wouldn't they? That's my rumour... that we'll expect to hear something about that."… "They're going the Apple route where they want this thing to integrate very tightly with Windows 8 and Windows Phone, which is a problem with the current Xbox."

You can sort of stream stuff from your PC to your 360 as a media center, something that could only be done with mods on the first-iteration Xbox, so it’s not entirely bust. But then again, what Thurrott says makes a lot sense in terms of having the console and the operating system platform work tandemly for entertainment and digital software uses.

The reporter goes on to claim that the new Xbox, codenamed “Project Ten”, will make use of Microsoft’s Silverlight for TV streaming, to coincide with Xbox Live’s new digital media streaming service.

Rumors have been running rampant for the next-generation consoles, mainly ever since Nintendo announced the Wii U at this year’s E3. However, I tend to disagree with Thurrott’s rumors for a few reasons, the main one being that Halo 4 was announced and will be releasing in the fall of 2012 for the Xbox 360. I hardly see how you can launch a new console with your flagship franchise launching on the old console during the same timeframe.

Another thing is that the Wii U will be launching in the fall of 2012 as well. This makes it highly unlikely that Microsoft will want to compete with themselves with the launch of Halo 4 and compete with Nintendo’s Wii U during that same period. That’s a little like shooting yourself in the foot…but then again, who knows?

Anyway, we’ll definitely keep you posted on news regarding any developments involving the next-gen consoles. And we’ll see if Thurrott’s rumors prove to be true when CES 2012 rolls around.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.