Xbox 720 due spring 2014 - Analyst

The next Xbox will be on store shelves during spring 2014, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter. Speaking to UK magazine Xbox 360, Pachter said he does not believe the latest round of speculation, which puts the Xbox 360 successor out in late 2013.

"If I were a betting man (and I am), I would say a spring 2014 launch makes more sense, since hard core Xbots could get a console without having to compete with moms buying gifts at holiday, and it is likely that they won't manufacture more than a few million units for launch," he said.

This is not the first time Pachter has predicted a new Xbox to launch in 2014. In November, the industry diviner said he expected Microsoft's new console to launch sometime during that year.

Pachter also spoke about what he believes Microsoft will introduce with its next Xbox. He said the company is likely to advance the non-gaming capabilities of the Xbox 360 with the new console, specifically in the cable TV sector.

"It's pretty clear to me that Microsoft intends to allow the Xbox 720 to function as a cable TV box, allowing cable television service providers to broadcast over the Internet through the box, with SmartGlass as the remote controller, and with the Xbox 720 using Windows 8 to split the TV signal into multiple feeds, allowing consumers to divert different channel feeds to different displays within the home," he said.

Microsoft has not officially confirmed it is at work on a new platform, but speculation about the console has nevertheless found its way out. Most recently, a 56-page document allegedly originating from Microsoft indicated the company was planning to launch an Xbox 720 in 2013 at $299. An updated version of the Kinect was to be included, and augmented-reality glasses support would be added sometime after launch. The document has since been removed at the behest of Microsoft's legal team.

For more on speculation regarding Microsoft's next home console, check out GameSpot's rumor roundup feature.