We can “realistically” expect the Xbox 720, PS4 in 2013 or 2014

Lately, we've heard a lot of talk about the next-gen Xbox and PlayStation.  We've heard rumors of Microsoft's Xbox 720 being 6 times more powerful than the current Xbox 360, plans for Microsoft and Sony to announce new consoles at E3 (which have been denied numerous times by both companies), and plenty more.  Way too many rumors for me to even list.

The point is we can have all the rumors surrounding the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 consoles we want, but  "realistically", we can expect to start seeing these systems in 2013 or 2014.

Scott Steinberg, marketing expert and industry analyst of TechSavvy Global, told Industry Gamers in an interview mostly directed at the idea of digital content delivery that consumers will "probably" start to see new systems from Sony and Microsoft in 2013 or 2014.

Of the two companies locked in this Cold War-like console race, Steinberg did say that Microsoft held an advantage over Soy because of their broader entertainment focus.

"If I had to place my bets, I would say that Microsoft has been the most forward-looking of all three manufacturers; through a combination of skill and luck, Microsoft has very effectively positioned itself to lead the way forward through a combination of services, content and new hardware accessories – Kinect being the notable example," he explained.

Microsoft has said multiple times they intend to turn the Xbox into an all-around entertainment hub bringing movies, television, music, and gaming all into one system.  While the Xbox 360 has begun to pave the way with the most recent dashboard update and the addition of dozens of apps including ESPN, Facebook, Youtube, and most recently Crackle, the next-gen console will only further push this transition.

Whatever the case, I think it's safe to assume we shouldn't expect a new console this year – so stop with the 2012 announcement rumors.  Those died a long time ago.