Despite analyst Michael Pachter finding the idea of a $399 model of the Xbox One, which would include a 1 TB hard disk drive and no optical drive, unlikely it seems more confirmation is coming about from sources that it could very well be real.
A senior publishing source recently confirmed it to VG247 and also confirmed the other leaks that came about this week. This includes Halo 5 being pushed back, Gears of War Xbox One requiring 2.5 years of development time, Halo 2 Anniversary releasing on Xbox One this year and more. Microsoft apparently intimated details about a new Xbox One model that would arrive by year end, though they neglected to mention if it would remove the Blu-ray disc drive.
It will likely retail for less than the current $499 and on its release, the current model is also expected to drop in place, possibly competing with the PS4’s $399 price point.
None of this has been confirmed by Microsoft but they are taking legal action against the informant – after they find him. Take this with a grain of salt, as usual.