The battle of the consoles rumbles on with both Microsoft and Sony apparently planning upgrades to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 respectively.
In fact rumors surrounding a reported PlayStation 4.5, codenamed Neo, have been growing more insistent in the past few weeks. It looks like the new model will boast a faster CPU, better GPU and improved memory. While commentators get excited about an upgraded Sony PS4, Microsoft has been a lot more mysterious about the future of the Xbox One.
Microsoft exec rules out “Xbox One and a half”
Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s Head of Xbox, recently said that the company would not be releasing an “Xbox One and a half.”
“I’m not a big fan of Xbox One and a half. If we’re going to move forward, I want to move forward in big numbers,” Spencer said, during a roundtable discussion withGameinformer. “If we’re going to go forward with anything, like I said, I want it to be a really substantial change for people —?? an upgrade.”
It is thought that these substantial changes could involve the introduction of virtual reality support, or even bundling the console with the Microsoft HoloLens headset. If that were to be the case significant hardware improvements would have to be made.
Most reports interpreted these comments as a flat out denial that an upgraded Xbox One would be released, However it turns out that might not be the whole story and Microsoft might be about to go toe-to-toe with Sony.
FCC filings tell a different story
A member of the NeoGAF forum named ekim has come across filings made by Microsoft with the Federal Communications Commission. The documents show that Microsoft is working on a new wireless chip for the Xbox One with a new model number.
The FCC has to approve new devices like the Xbox One, and has turned into a prolific source of information on new technological devices such as smartphones. Those that keep a close eye on filings at the FCC have been responsible for revealing new phones ahead of launch.
No photos of the new Xbox One model have been revealed, and other important details are protected by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between the company and the FCC. The NDA expires on June 25, just 12 days after the 2016 edition of the Microsoft E3 press conference.
Luckily for Xbox fans, the Brazilian equivalent of the FCC isn’t so strict on secrecy. Anatel has published one image of the new Xbox One wireless chipset.
Microsoft and Sony continue console battle
The Verge has spoken to sources familiar with Microsoft’s Xbox plans who say that there are a number of prototype Xbox devices currently being tested. Some of them include new components that you could use to boost the performance of a PC gaming setup.
However it is still not clear whether or not Microsoft will release an upgraded Xbox One. According to Phil Spencer the company will “come out with new hardware capability during a generation” with the capability to support existing and future titles.
With this in mind a new wireless chip could be one of a raft of new hardware options that Microsoft is working on. The company has some serious work to do to catch up with Sony in terms of units sold.
The PS4 has outsold the Xbox One in 13 of the last 15 months, and the Sony console has sold around twice as many units overall.
