The next Xbox will be a matt-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room with augmented reality, directional sound, and a four-player finger-tracking Kinect. We told you all that last month. This month, our sources tell us it will have a touchscreen, too.
Microsoft are experimenting with a tablet-like controller with a shape closer to Sonys sleek Vita handheld / Apples iPad than Wii Us bulky unit its an HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks.
On 360 that touchscreen will be second only to Kinect in how you operate your console. It could be a remote control when youre watching TV, a browser when youre on the internet, extra buttons and information when playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you.
If the next Xbox is starting to sound awfully expensive, youd be right. 360 launched at £279 while PS3 launched at £425, so were speculating here £399 wouldnt be an unprecedented figure to put on a machine with Kinect and a touch controller in the box. Microsoft are playing safe with the CPU and GPU but running wild with the functions that will change how you play, but it wont be cheap. Expect to see the next Xbox at E3 this June.