This bit of information is not really surprising to me. Whether it is true or not, either time or Michael can only tell.
Michael letting Jermaine have it...that's totally believable since there have been other times they haven't been on such good terms and would let each other have it.
Trio of albums? Well, why not? MJ is fully capable, and considering he typically writes hundreds of songs just to get a few on an album, why not release a lot more of what typically gets cut? Or it could mean T25, KOP, and new. But T25 and KOP are old news, so "working on" a trio would not make sense if that were the case.
Different styles? Once again, why not? We've already seen the different directions Michael has taken over the past 10 years as being different from when he was younger. He has gone through hell and back, built up a stronger faith in God as a result. He is also older, wiser, more mature. individual style of music tends to change with age. Also we know that MJ is an innovator, so I would not be surprised to hear a completely new type of sound to take us into the next decade. He also thrives off of being the biggest and the best.
Prince singing? ALL of the Jackson kiddos in the whole big family have got songbird pipes, it seems. No reason why Prince, Paris, and Blanket would not. And if they don't, that's okay. And don't forget, Michael was 11 when he signed with Motown. Prince is 11, too. He is old enough right now to start making decisions on his own about what he wants to do with the things he is good at. If Prince sings on this album, we KNOW MJ would not have forced him, because he needed his son to be aware of all the consequences that stardom can bring (per Barbara Walters interview). And also because he doesn't want to be like his father in the forcing bit. I think it is a good idea to let Prince try this out and see how he likes it, and how the public responds. It's quite a safe way, in my opinion, to let him ease into a transition of coming into his own, if he finds that he likes it. And if he finds he does not like it after all, he can easily go back to where he was before.
So, it doesn't surprise me. And that is why. And if it turns out to be not true? oh well. no biggie.