Who will be first to launch a next generation narrow body twin?

Question

Boeing and Airbus are looking to the future and the prospects of a huge future market for the replacement for todays 737 and A320 aircraft which have become the backbone of most fleets around the world. The aircraft would no doubt be all composit. To me it seems like Boeing at this time seems more likely to be in a position to be first. Airbus will no doubt follow suit.

Here's an excerp from an article in FLIGHT magazine.

Looking beyond the A350, Hess has his sights fixed on the glittering prospect of the Airbus and Boeing narrowbody replacement programmes. The two aircraft manufacturers continue to circle one another like wary boxers, and the Hamilton Sundstrand president wouldn’t be surprised if one of them made a sudden move in the next couple of years. And that, he believes, would galvanise the systems suppliers into a bidding frenzy.

“That’s the market everybody in the industry is lusting after, given the delivery rates and volumes these aircraft will generate,”

Answer 1

It mostly likely will be Boeing, the heavy development work on the 787 is almost done. 787 will in flight test in a few months freeing up engineering staff for the next project.
Major factor will come later this year, decision on the tanker contract.
One or both are working on the replacement. Price of crude and labor are not going down in the near future.

Answer 2

Here is your answer. After suffering a major setback on the A380, Airbus needs something to make them competitive again. My vote for your question is...Airbus

Answer 3

The 737 has become its own replacement with newer more efficient airplanes...