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Although the actual release of Xbox 720 is still many months away, expected to arrive next year, the rumor-mill is constantly churning out reports about it. The latest from the front is that Xbox 720 would not be featuring a disc drive, unlike the current game console from Microsoft, Xbox 360. This essentially means that the major source of buying games would be digital downloads.

Even when this is just a rumor, it makes sense. The business models online have fast evolved to concentrate on digitally downloadable content, moving away from retail-type sales. Although, the report says, Microsoft will still retain retail sales, its primary focus would be digital sales online. In the absence of a disc drive, the retail games will be deployed to the console with the help of a slot where some sort of solid state media will be used.

However, it is unclear as to what kind of solid state media will come to replace disc drive in Xbox 720. Analysts have speculated that it could be a universal standard like SD or something exclusive and unique to the new Xbox. Another scoop by this ‘source’ was that the console will indeed debut in 2013.

Microsoft was quick to respond to this alleged ‘leak’ and wrote in an email, “Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation.”

Image courtesy drdemento

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