There's still a lot we don't know about the Microsoft Xbox 720, (okay, mostly everything), but the last wave of always online rumors seems to have unleashed a mini-torrent of leaks and information.
The latest speculation suggests that Microsoft will outfit the Xbox 720 with the ability to hook up to your television set, track your eye movements with the Kinect 2.0, and require an Internet connection to work.
Citing "multiple sources familiar with the company's Xbox plans," The Verge reports that "Microsoft will introduce a feature that lets its next-generation console take over a TV and set-top box in a similar way to Google TV. We understand that the next Xbox will require an online connection to use the entertainment services, allowing them to be always-on for streaming and access to TV signals."
So how exactly will the Xbox 720 do this?
"The functionality will work by taking a cable box signal and passing it through to the Xbox via HDMI, allowing Microsoft's console to overlay a UI and features on top of an existing TV channel or set-top box," wrote Tom Warren. "We're told that this is a key part of the next-generation Xbox and that it will go a step further than Google's TV implementation thanks to Microsoft's partnerships with content providers. Extended support for various cable services will be rolled out gradually, but the basic functionality will be available at launch."
Additionally, the new Kinect will be able to distinguish between multiple people in the same space, as well as track eye movement in order to pause the screen when someone looks away (much as the new Galaxy S4 can do).
Some of these rumors (always online, Kinect abilities) aren't new, as we've reported on them before, but the fact that they keep popping up might mean there's some legitimate information behind them.
The Xbox 720 is expected to be revealed near the end of May.
