‘New Xbox’ means ‘New Xbox update,’ says Microsoft
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 8 — Clarifying a remark taken as the first public confirmation of an upcoming successor to the Xbox 360, the tech company explained that the phrase “new Xbox” in fact refers to a “new Xbox update” due for deployment this autumn.
The original story was generated by a telephone conversation between staff members at The Verge and Microsoft General Manager Brian Hall, who explained that Hotmail’s makeover was timed to precede “the new wave of products that we have coming out, with Windows 8, with the new version of Office, with the new Windows Phone and the new Xbox.”
“The comments to The Verge were not understood in their intended context,” was the subsequent official line.
“When Brian mentioned a ‘new wave of products,’ he was referring to the full line-up of products coming later this year from Microsoft, including Windows 8, Office, Windows Phone and of course our autumn Xbox update which will bring a host of new consumer experiences like Xbox Music, Videos, Games on Windows 8 and Xbox SmartGlass.”
So it’s a incremental update to the existing Xbox 360 console that makes improvements to existing services while introducing a recognition of other now ubiquitous mobile devices, and definitely not a brand spanking new console to save up for that’s coming late 2013, which would be built from the ground up to act as a conduit for all family room entertainment, and built to work with streaming online media and social networks and boasting full phone and tablet integration plus an overhauled Kinect motion and voice sensing camera right from the off. Definitely not that. — AFP/Relaxnews
