I'm not sure why you think this is just a trial product. All of the console makers are pushing their digital storefronts. It's been only a matter of time till they came out with a diskless version. As for not changing the name or look, why cause market confusion? At best you'd be cannibalizing your own market, at worst you'd be attacked for it not being a next gen version because people would see a new name and think it was. If anything I think we'll get maybe one more generation before they start phasing out the disk drives completely.
By trial I mean they release it and see how it does. We know the next gen isn't far off so all One versions might potentially be out of production within a year (Microsoft allegedly will launch 2 new consoles, one will be a lower cost one that is focused on streaming, and then one that is a more traditional setup).
Yes, yet they haven't done that (made digital only consoles; well I think Sony made some portable and then the little Playstation Home or whatever that was basically a Vita's processor in a box with I think USB, HDMI, and networking), so they don't know how consumers will react to it (not sure if you recall, but when Microsoft talked about all digital while even using discs at the One reveal gamers freaked the f*** out and got very angry).
Because it'd cost money to rework the system. They can't fundamentally change the shape without redesigning the mainboard as I mentioned. The mainboard is about the size of the footprint of the case (its not like removing the optical drive they can ditch that whole side of the system, the optical drive and HDD was above the mainboard on that side, and the heatsink+fan and power supply was above it on the other). Plus minimal change to the outside case.
Er, I don't think Microsoft is worried about that or else they wouldn't have released it at all (unless, perhaps its a trial to see how consumers react to it?). Plus like I already posited, they might have stopped or paused production of the One S with the disc drive, so there might not be confusion to be had or sales to cannibalize, as they'd have just the One S digital and the One X. This pushes people that want the disc to pony up a premium from now on (which I have a hunch will become the norm).
Except its not a new name? They've released tons of versions of the One S, and this is just another. They did the same thing with the 360 (especially towards the end). All of the console makers seem to make a bunch of versions of their systems. I don't
I partially agree, in that I think the consoles after the next generation basically become simple terminals for digital/streaming services so they'll have little reason for a disc drive.
I actually think we might see the disc drives become optional extras on the next gen (which I think Microsoft will probably split it so that their streaming focused one won't have a disc drive, while the higher priced one would have it - which is why I see them making the One S disc-less but leave the option of the One X if you want the disc drive; I could see Sony do something similar where they sell a standard PS5 and then a higher priced one with the disc drive and maybe more storage for like an extra $100; possibly they even go the external route like the HD-DVD drive on the 360; heck maybe Microsoft would let you just plug in external Blu-ray drives that already exist for PC).