According to a report which was picked up by the Official Xbox Magazine, problems with the development and production of the processor for the next Xbox could delay the console’s launch window from September of 2013 and Microsoft could miss the holiday shopping season.
In the end, there is one, and only one fact at the center of all of these rumors, semiconductor yields. The exact details are harder to come by, but given the very hard limits imposed by the fab technologies involved and the self-imposed start date, time is running out. If there is two months of slack in the supply chain, unless the yield problems are solved by late February 2013, Microsoft can’t hit it’s desired September 2013 launch date.
Of course there is still time for issues to be resolved, which could see no delay to the launch of Xbox 720.
We’ll be sure to keep you apprised if any concrete details do arise.
