Pachter - next Xbox will cost $99, will be your television, internet

Michael Pachter believes the next Xbox console will have a low price point and charge a monthly service fee, and the console will make having a "smart TV" rather redundant.

Speaking during Develop, and reported by IncGamers, Pachter said consoles will have to become "multiple purpose devices," in order to survive.

"I think Microsoft's got it right, and I think Sony will keep plugging away because they have an integrated strategy across all of their consumer electronic products," Pachter said. "Microsoft, they have a strategy to take over the world.

"Console will have to be multiple purpose devices, though. The Xbox 720, this is my prediction, is going to be your television as well. You'll be able to tune into television through it. You won't need a 'smart TV' when you've got an Xbox 720, it will be your television and your internet. It's going to be open architecture and I think it's real trick will be that one Xbox will be able to display television to as many screens as you have in your possession.

"The next Xbox will be Windows for sure, and you'll be able to open up multiple TV channels in different windows and you'll use SmartGlass to shoot off different channels to how ever many screens you want. That is happening, that I'm certain of.

"I'm pretty confident that in the US Microsoft is going to partner with a cable TV provider, so I expect that the console will be priced like a smart phone. I expect you'll be paying $99 for the console with a cable TV subscription."

Microsoft recently started offering $99 Xbox 360 supported with a $15 monthly fee for Xbox Live as part of the package, so the idea that the new system would have a similar SKU is not far-fetched. We're unsure about the rest though. Our Miss Cleo hat quit working ages ago.