Is Microsoft Already Manufacturing the Next Xbox?


Recommended Posts

I know its old news, but still hadn't been posted so open for discussion anyway..

nextxbox_050312_cover.jpg

The next Xbox console is apparently in the manufacturing stages. According to an IGN source, assembly of the next-generation Xbox hardware started recently at the Austin, Texas branch of Flextronics. This is the same electronics company currently assembling Xbox 360 hardware, and is the manufacturer of the original Xbox.

Prior to reaching the manufacturing stage, Flextronics created a new testing group separate from the rest of the company. This team was solely dedicated to comprehensive marketing, software, and hardware tests of the next Xbox. With that activity concluded, Flextronics started building the hardware -- but that doesn?t necessarily mean we?ll see the Durango soon.

The most likely case here is that new manufactured hardware would be development kits, consoles created specifically so game designers know what they?re working with. Microsoft said flat-out it wasn't debuting a new console at E3, so rumors regarding new manufactured boxes probably wouldn?t stack up to a reveal.

http://au.ign.com/ar...g-the-next-xbox

i think Flextronics are the same people who skimped on the thermal paste that got us into all that stupid trouble back in the heyday of 2006-2008! but still, at least there's something moving in the right direction if this is true.

  • Like 2

I think early dev hardware is in select peoples hands even now. As with the Xbox 360 they'll go around to the bigger studios and talk it over with them to see what they'd like hardware wise.

Either way, the next Xbox should make the jump to DX11.1, or maybe a early version of DX12 since we're talking 2013 for it's release.

I still think the new Xbox is launching later this year to counter the Wii U. My gut feel is despite MS being adamant no Xbox announcements at E3 this year, I think they plan to steal the show with exactly that...an Xbox announcement and imminent release. I could be totally wrong and I expect I am, is just a feeling I can't seem to shake. Be interesting to see how it all pans out...

  • Like 1

I still think the new Xbox is launching later this year to counter the Wii U. My gut feel is despite MS being adamant no Xbox announcements at E3 this year, I think they plan to steal the show with exactly that...an Xbox announcement and imminent release. I could be totally wrong and I expect I am, is just a feeling I can't seem to shake. Be interesting to see how it all pans out...

sigh... I just don't want to have to buy an all new media again.

sigh... I just don't want to have to buy an all new media again.

You can't avoid it forever, nature of the beast. The Xbox 360 has had it's time and it's been a good run (all in all) and it's time to move forward. PC gamers in particular can't wait for the new generation to start since they've been held back predominantly to ~Dx9 because is all current consoles can do. I suspect MS will keep the 360 going as a budget console (like Sony did with the PS2) so if your not ready to move forward, you don't have too right away. Naturally this is just pure speculation on my part and chances are there will be no new Xbox announced. As I said this is just a gut feel, nothing more nothing less.

I hope it is released this year at E3 and not 2013. I don't want to wait so long.

Microsoft has already made it clear NO NEW Xbox hardware at E3 this year Period and if a new Xbox is in production right now it is in very rough early stages not even prototyping . The only new system to be released this year and to be shown more of @ E3 is the Wii U

I still think the new Xbox is launching later this year to counter the Wii U.

I don't think MS and Sony consider themselves in competition with Nintendo anymore. They've released Kinect/Move and that's probably as far as they'll go.

The next X-Box is sorely needed. As great as the current platform is, I'm playing it less and less. I think the rush of a new generation of consoles would motivate me to stick with MS but so far I'm sitting on Steam more than I am on Live. All of my friends have switched to PC gaming as well (mostly, I feel, due to a lack of anything really new on the 360).

I agree with Emnity, a new Xbox is indeed sorely needed. It's been weeks since I played on mine... mainly due to the fact that I find the graphics to be very lacklustre these days. PC games are once again far superior.

Seeing how multimedia abilities are becoming a bigger and bigger part of Xbox Live I don't think they're in any rush to release a ton of exclusive games or the next gen system like in the past. For me, I've been playing my 360 often, finished ME3, Assassins Creed Revelations and I'm now in the middle of my first playthrough for Catherine with the newest Ace Combat waiting after that. The only games I even think about playing on the PC first are FPS games which at this point I know for sure are going to be short and not worth the price of their console versions. I also don't care about mp so that factors into it as well.

Seeing how multimedia abilities are becoming a bigger and bigger part of Xbox Live I don't think they're in any rush to release a ton of exclusive games or the next gen system like in the past. For me, I've been playing my 360 often, finished ME3, Assassins Creed Revelations and I'm now in the middle of my first playthrough for Catherine with the newest Ace Combat waiting after that. The only games I even think about playing on the PC first are FPS games which at this point I know for sure are going to be short and not worth the price of their console versions. I also don't care about mp so that factors into it as well.

The point is though, most of these media "apps" are horribly slow (youtube anyone?) and/or awkward to use(FiOS, Zune Video/Audio for example) or just plain butt ugly ("redesigned" Netflix). I still use my Xbox more for media than games but they need a more powerful box sooner than later. Or they should somehow fix the apps.

The point is though, most of these media "apps" are horribly slow (youtube anyone?) and/or awkward to use(FiOS, Zune Video/Audio for example) or just plain butt ugly ("redesigned" Netflix). I still use my Xbox more for media than games but they need a more powerful box sooner than later. Or they should somehow fix the apps.

There's an update to the dashboard coming as well so I think it'll bring needed performance updates and or updated apps shortly after. Other than that I want to see more of the services expand out of the US but that's probably not something we'll start to see till the next Xbox which, since I bring up the dash, will probably use a very similar dashboard to what the 360 has/will get this year I bet.

No doubt. That guy who got fired for mentioning Durango or whatever it's called not too long ago. That will be the new platform. Some devs are already in next gen development so not hard to believe they are working towards something as MS like to get input from devs and engine makers.

I think MS are just trying to get as many content providers as possible and do the best they can with current hardware. It will all converge next gen to something a lot slicker and faster. They might tweak some things but nothing major, they will want the big splash to be the next gen hardware and software platform.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Doogee and Ulefone regularly release phones with 10k-25k mAh batteries, but those are bricks. I don't understand how they could make it only weigh 220 grams with a battery that size.
    • Windows 10 quietly gets one more year of support and updates by Taras Buria Windows 10 reached its end of life at the end of 2025. Microsoft kicked off the Extended Security Updates program, aimed at giving regular consumers one more year of security-only updates. By doing so, Microsoft gave users more time and money to update their computers to a newer operating system or compatible hardware. Now, with the end of the Extended Security Updates program quickly approaching, Microsoft is making an important adjustment. Users discovered that the official support article for the program now lists a new end-of-support date: The Extended Security Updates program is not a new concept. It has been an official way for business consumers to continue receiving critical updates for unsupported Microsoft products for many years. However, all this time, it was a business-only, paid feature. With Windows 10, Microsoft brought ESU to regular consumers, allowing them to get security updates for Windows 10 past October 2025 essentially for free. When Windows 10 was approaching the end of support, many guessed that Microsoft might adjust its support timelines, and this is exactly what seems to be happening. Of course, Microsoft would love everyone to switch to new computers, such as its latest Surface devices, but in the days of ever-growing hardware prices, not everyone is lucky enough to have money for a new PC. Leaving hundreds of millions of customers with a Windows version that no longer receives security updates is a major risk that Microsoft is not willing to take. If you have a Windows 10 PC to enroll in the Extended Security Updates program, check out this guide to learn how to do so.
    • Sony announces Bungie layoffs that will affect "significant number of employees" by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Sony today announced that major layoffs are happening at its first-party studio Bungie, the developer that has spawned series like Halo, Destiny, and Marathon over the past decades. The news arrives just weeks after Bungie delivered the final update to Destiny 2, and it's that team being hit with the layoffs the most. CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment Hermen Hulst revealed the staff reduction today, calling it "painful news." "Over the past several months, together with Bungie leadership, we reviewed the studio’s long-term direction, development priorities, resource needs, and role within our broader portfolio strategy," said Hulst, explaining the decision. "We explored multiple alternatives before concluding that a reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals." The layoffs will be hitting "a significant number of employees" across most of the Destiny franchise development team. It doesn't look like Sony is planning to continue the series following Destiny 2's sunsetting update. The studio is said to be in early stages of looking at other projects to pivot to, but it's said that keeping the size of the team at current levels is no longer feasible. "We know this decision has a profound impact on the people affected, their families, friends, and teammates," said Bungie leadership in a separate message on social media. "While these changes are necessary to best position the studio now and for the future, that does not lessen the difficulty of this moment or the impact it has on those affected." At the same time, "some" of the Marathon development team are also affected by the layoffs. The recently released multiplayer-only extraction shooter title hasn't seen a big boom of players either, but the company is reportedly hoping that the live service experience will pick up players with future updates.
    • Microsoft adds reusable skills and finance data connectors to Copilot in Excel by Karthik Mudaliar Microsoft is giving Copilot in Excel a collection of new features aimed squarely at finance teams. The update introduces reusable instructions for common tasks, connections to services such as FactSet and Morningstar, and a better way to review what Copilot intends to do before it starts changing a workbook. The most interesting addition is 'Skills' finally coming to Copilot in Excel. Skills let companies teach Copilot how to handle a recurring process, so employees do not need to write the same detailed prompt every month. Users can create skills that can specify the steps Copilot should follow, along with the required layout, formulas, and formatting. Microsoft says users can create their own skills by saving a SKILL.md file in OneDrive. The file is written using Markdown and tells Copilot when and how to perform the task. Once it is available, a user can select the skill in the Copilot pane or mention it in a prompt using the @ symbol. There is also a library of prebuilt finance skills for customers who do not want to create their own. Microsoft plans to let developers distribute additional skills through the Microsoft Marketplace and the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, with LSEG, Ramp, Rogo, samaya.ai, Velixo, and Vena among the first partners involved. The company says that it is also expanding the external data that Copilot can access from inside Excel. New connectors are being added for CB Insights, Daloopa, FactSet, Morningstar, PitchBook, and S&P Global data through technology developed by Kensho. There is a catch, however. Accessing these services may require a separate subscription from the relevant data provider, so a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence will not necessarily unlock all of them. FactSet is also only available in preview for now, with general availability planned for July. Microsoft is also trying to make Copilot’s workbook edits easier to inspect. Users can switch to a planning mode that shows which sheets, cell ranges, formulas, and assumptions Copilot intends to work with before it begins making changes. Once the work is complete, the Show Changes pane can distinguish edits made by Copilot from those made by human collaborators. The update continues Microsoft’s push to turn Excel Copilot from a chatbot into an agent that can carry out longer tasks. The company previously added an Agent Mode capable of planning and completing multi-step Excel work. Microsoft also recently acquired financial AI startup Fintool, another indication that finance is becoming a key target for its Excel AI strategy. Prebuilt skills, personalization, workbook rules, external connectors, planning mode, and Copilot attribution in Show Changes are generally available to Microsoft 365 Copilot customers using Excel on the web, Windows, and macOS. Custom skills are initially available to Microsoft 365 Insiders on Windows and Mac starting today. Microsoft plans to make them generally available across Windows, Mac, and the web over the next month. Partner-built skills are expected during the third quarter of the year. Availability may still differ depending on region and licensing.
    • Exactly. They serve different (although related) purposes.
  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      kinowa earned a badge
      First Post
    • Rookie
      krychek57 went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Grand Master
      Jaybonaut went up a rank
      Grand Master
    • One Year In
      Philsl earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      438
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      169
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      134
    4. 4
      Xenon
      77
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      75
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!