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Cheaper, Disc-Free Xbox One Coming Next Year, Report Says (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Microsoft is planning to release a disc-free version of the Xbox One as early as next spring, according to an unsourced report from author Brad Sams of Thurrott.com (who has been reliable with early Xbox-related information in the past). The report suggests the disc-free version of the system would not replace the existing Xbox One hardware, and it would instead represent "the lowest possible price for the Xbox One S console." Sams says that price could come in at $199 "or lower," a significant reduction from the system's current $299 starting price (but not as compelling compared to $199 deals for the Xbox One and PS4 planned for Black Friday this year). Buyers will also be able to add a subscription to the Xbox Games Pass program for as little as $1, according to Sams. For players who already have games on disc, Sams says Microsoft will offer a "disc to digital" program in association with participating publishers. Players will be able to take their discs into participating retailers (including Microsoft Stores) and trade them in for a "digital entitlement" that can be applied to their Xbox Live account.
The 'digital' used in the topic is for Digital Equipment Corporation, or DEC. It's not a generic catchall for everything that could be considered 'digital', i.e. 'not analog', but it's pretty clear that the current slashdot editors are ignorant of this. as are you, apparently.
And the ability to make use of the console at all in areas where the best available Internet connection is slow and/or harshly capped
Pretty much. And to keep everything in context, that has been Microsoft's plan for the Xbox One since before its launch.
Many have forgotten, but the E3 prior to the consoles release, it was going to require "always on" internet connectivity to even launch a single player game, let alone actually need the network for anything.
They were also going to put unique keys in with discs for use in locking a game to your hardware and prevent reselling. A used game without an unused key would be useless, and require the purchase of a new key at full retail price (on top of whatever you paid for that used plastic disc)
https://www.theverge.com/2013/6/12/4422014/xbox-360-is-offline-alternative-to-xbox-one
Xbox chief Don Mattrick offered up his own thoughts on the Xbox One online requirement ahead of Microsoft's E3 keynote,
"Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity, it's called Xbox 360," says Mattrick. "If you have zero access to the internet, that is an offline device." Mattrick's comments appear to ignore scenarios where internet connectivity can be unstable or unreliable.
They only back peddled quite some time after massive backlash from pretty much everyone.
https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/microsoft-reversing-xbox-one-internet-used-game-policies
Xbox One will also no longer restrict used games, and will instead allow discs to be exchanged in the same way they are on Xbox 360. There will be no additional restrictions for trade-ins or lending games to friends.
and
"Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback," Microsoft's Don Mattrick wrote. "I would like to take the opportunity today to thank you for your assistance in helping us to reshape the future of Xbox One. You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world."
Those facts are not important to Microsoft, and they don't even claim so. They just want peoples money, and this back peddle was the best way to get more of that.
5 years ago for many people this day and age might as well have been over a lifetime ago.
Microsoft will continue to keep trying until raping their customers makes more money than giving them what they want.