Microsoft plans to provide live streaming subscription TV programming through the Xbox 360 video game console. Microsoft already provides similar services in the UK, France, and Australia. This will be availble to Xbox users in the US within a year. Channels will be delivered via IPTV. Mike Delman, vice president of global marketing at Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business group, told the Seattle Times that the service “will be tied to either a satellite broadcast company or a cable company. So in international markets, you’ll just have one provider. In the U.S., it will be bifurcated by region, by market. You’ll be a Comcast guy [in Seattle], for example.” In other words, Xbox TV streaming will be available only be available to cable and satellite subscribers. Microsoft also announced a partnership with Ultimate Fight Championship to stream live fights and other programming on the Xbox. YouTube videos will also be available to Xbox gamers.
These new Xbox features will be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and the Kinect controller. Using Kinect, Xbox users will be able to voice search through Bing, and the Xbox will find movies, TV shows, sports, and music available for streaming as well as games.
Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet speculates that these Xbox Live features will eventually be added to Windows Phone and other Microsoft devices.
