Boeing should be commended for their insight of the future. Current models of Airbus and Boeing are essentially 30-40 year old designs with newer avionics and more powerful/efficient engines thus only evolutionary and not revolutionary. With revolutionary ideas it takes new rules and techniques, which is often difficult to comprehend when exposed. My father witnessed an early flight of a jet during WWII and he could not believe what he had seen, and he was an aviator.
Many comments above reflect old technology and thinking. Boeing is talking about new ways to design and build aeroplanes. Super-cruise is already here in military aircraft. NASA is working on soft-boom/low-boom designs and Boeing is obviously taking a step towards supersonic travel with the Sonic-cruiser. When true super-sonic travel becomes feasible then they will have a huge advantage over Airbus (please, the Concord is not feasible or efficient).
People will want to cut 2-3 hours off their travel time and they probably won’t have to pay an extra cent for the opportunity when available. With the opening of polar routes, flight times continue to stretch the crews’ limits as airlines convert savings into extra range with routes like JFK/HGK etc. I’ll take my 2-3 hour saving thank you very much and so will other crews/passengers if they have a choice.
To all the other Aviators, keep an open mind, as the rumour of the propeller-less aircraft was true!