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Forums - Microsoft - And then there was (Xbox) One - How Xbox plans to change Television forever

kitler53 on 04 June 2013
disolitude said:
kitler53 said:
if underlined is true MS really failed to communicate that point because the official statements i've seen xbone requires you to already have a television provider. ..and as this blog states "long term goal" i don't see how MS gets around that same fight with television providers everyone else is failing to break though.

Television providers control the most content so they have to be part of Xbox one. Microsoft is looking to position the Xbox one as a content management and consumption solution and not as the new IP based cable provider. The cable companies really have no other option but be a part of this.

Think of it this way...

People already spend more hours consuming content than gaming on the Xbox. Cable is a source of content but its no longer the only source. Netflix, Hulu and countless other streaming services are jumping over the cable wall and providing content to people in their homes. Rather than have this constant struggle between cable content vs internet content, Xbox One is looking to make content discovery seamless to a user. They will just watch their TV and won't have a slightest idea where the video they are watchig is coming from. Could be a Youtube clip, could be live right now on CBS...it will all be Television.

If this is a success you will see a radical shift in how TV business works. Cable companies will always have their funded shows which they control, however many sitcoms which get rejected, cancelled or don't get the benefit of the doubt from the cable guys, can turn to Xbox and their content "app store" for exposure. People will watch what they like, not whats on TV...

I doubt any of this stuff will be available at launch or even within the first year. It will take time for sure to figure out how to merge various sources of content in to 1 seamless viewing experience. But its absolutely the future of Television.

what i don't get is where, other than in this blog's opinion, has MS shown anything close to what is being described in this blog or in your post.  if you have a link please share because the xbone reveal and the media since has not shown this functionality.  i haven't even seen a "this is where we want to go" statement from MS. 

they seem far more focused on adding extra content to the show you are watching.  buy movie tix, display triva facts.  nfl stats/fantasy stats.  interactive tv.



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disolitude on 04 June 2013
Mmmfishtacos said:
disolitude said:
Osc89 said:

Yes, but this is what everyone is doing. You have Apple, Google, Sony and Intel on top of many others. And Apple and Sony have far stronger ties to the industry so odds are they will be the first to crack it.

Even Nintendo tried with TVii, but it hasn't really made any waves.


For starters lets clarify what "everyone" is doing.  

The companies you listed are mostly attempting to bring their versions of IP based set top boxes, some of which combine some cable content aspects. IPTV is only part of the story and really isn't what is being discussed here.

None of the companies you listed have devices or technology that is able to combine all types of content(linear, digital, IP, PVR...) in to a seamless experience that is taylored to individual viewers and their viewing habbits. Its really not something that Apple, Sony and Intel can do very well because they do not have the means to search the internet an collect and target user data in a manner Microsoft and Google can (google and google ID,  bing and Microsoft account). How is apple going to scan the internet and find the video I want to watch and seamlessly start playing? They can't... They require users to launch apps, and search tmenselves on different apps and buckets of content.

The main roadblock in development of Television is that companies that own content want it to be consumed in the means that benefits them the most and can't find common ground. Comcast wants you to pay them 60 bucks and get their set top box, Youtube wants you to create an account and comment on videos, netflix wants you to pay monthly fee as well and connect with their app.

Xbox One is striving to be this common ground. Combine cable, combine digital subscription, combine IPTV...watch anything...but not worry about who owns it, where its coming from, which app has it, and what channel its on.

Alright dude, just stop. You're making assumtions of things you know nothing about. The other guys already have this, ms isn't doing anything new.

I'm really not making any assumptions. I actually work on this stuff...We are making an app for Apple TV right now and I know fully what its capable. Its strictly iTunes/app based with no live TV and no cross app integration of content.

I tried Google Tv less than a year ago and while it does allow cable TV integration with IP TV, everything is still kept seperate. TV is to the left, Netflix app is to the right... You could search for content but it wasn't picking up things like youtube videos, live TV etc...if you wanted those, you needed to launch their dedicated apps. Also when pretty much everything about it was slow, slugish and unintuitive.  Far from something average users can use. Might as well build an HTPC if youre able to figure out Google TV, which is better in every way...

I havent experienced WiiUs TVii implementation and this sounds like the closest thing to what Microsoft is actually doing with Xbox One. Maybe that is what you are refering to when you say "other guys". From what I understand its a seperate app on the Wiiu to begin with which already makes it less intuitive.

Does TVii allow for users to seamlesly switch between content without choosing their source? For example, if I want to see "epic fail" videos, will TVii show videos from all video apps and live TV with videos that match this search?

Does TVii dynamically match videos that appeal to me and my previous viewing habits and tastes, or does it simply ask for my show or movie preferences and then match similar videos to those?

Maybe I underestimated the WiiU...



gooch_destroyer on 04 June 2013

I'm pretty sure TV subscriptions have been on the decline lately...



yo_john117 on 04 June 2013

Interesting. I certainly like where MS is going with The One. Potentially seamless TV/movie experience with plenty of great games on the side. As far as I'm concerned, this is exactly the type of device that I want.



disolitude on 04 June 2013
kitler53 said:
disolitude said:
kitler53 said:
if underlined is true MS really failed to communicate that point because the official statements i've seen xbone requires you to already have a television provider. ..and as this blog states "long term goal" i don't see how MS gets around that same fight with television providers everyone else is failing to break though.

Television providers control the most content so they have to be part of Xbox one. Microsoft is looking to position the Xbox one as a content management and consumption solution and not as the new IP based cable provider. The cable companies really have no other option but be a part of this.

Think of it this way...

People already spend more hours consuming content than gaming on the Xbox. Cable is a source of content but its no longer the only source. Netflix, Hulu and countless other streaming services are jumping over the cable wall and providing content to people in their homes. Rather than have this constant struggle between cable content vs internet content, Xbox One is looking to make content discovery seamless to a user. They will just watch their TV and won't have a slightest idea where the video they are watchig is coming from. Could be a Youtube clip, could be live right now on CBS...it will all be Television.

If this is a success you will see a radical shift in how TV business works. Cable companies will always have their funded shows which they control, however many sitcoms which get rejected, cancelled or don't get the benefit of the doubt from the cable guys, can turn to Xbox and their content "app store" for exposure. People will watch what they like, not whats on TV...

I doubt any of this stuff will be available at launch or even within the first year. It will take time for sure to figure out how to merge various sources of content in to 1 seamless viewing experience. But its absolutely the future of Television.

what i don't get is where, other than in this blog's opinion, has MS shown anything close to what is being described in this blog or in your post.  if you have a link please share because the xbone reveal and the media since has not shown this functionality.  i haven't even seen a "this is where we want to go" statement from MS. 

they seem far more focused on adding extra content to the show you are watching.  buy movie tix, display triva facts.  nfl stats/fantasy stats.  interactive tv.

Youre right...Microsoft didnt openly say this. This article is written with an assumption that Xbox One is geared towards becoming "The One" and it voices the concerns that cable companies are dealing with when going digital. The writer writes for Brightcove which is one of the largest online video content distribution platforms and probably has his own agenda and knowledge of this matter...

So essentially Microsoft may not do any of this at all. However Microsoft should know the issues and concerns with bringing cable to digital and the shortcomings of other services provided. None of the current IP TV solutions behave like TV people are used to and love. They all behave like PCs and browsers playing TV shows and movies...Microsoft has all the tools to change that. 

If this becomes the focus for Microsoft, it will not happen and be great overnight. When Xbox launches it is quite possible that a search like "Xbox watch funny videos" will not generate any results. However with Kinect, Bing listening and recording user data, and if other users keep searching similar things...a year later Xbox One can learn to show funny videos when someone searches with that phrase.  



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OdinHades on 04 June 2013

No matter what Microsoft does, they will get crushed by Google. Google will win this TV race just with their low prices. You can get Android Boxes for your TV already for like 50 - 100 €. So even if Microsoft does this or that better, combining every video service on the planet and whatnot, they can't compete. Windows Phone also does some things better than Android but they have no chance in hell. And the fact that all the TV features are only available in the US at launch doesn't exactly feel like they have it all fixed with content providers. Besides, surely you need Xbox Live Gold for all that. so another subscription you won't have to pay with Android.

Just don't fuck with Android. Seriously. If you ask me, it's another useless approach of Microsoft to play with the big boys. They just don't like the fact that they are not the biggest player in this day and age. They really need to get their shit together, especially Windows, as it's their main business and heavily struggling right now. They sure do sit on a lot of money, but if they keep up with their business strategies, throwing out money out of the window like there's no tomorrow, that money will decrease.

I might be horribly wrong, but I just don't see Microsoft having an edge in any way when it comes to TV. It's hard to sell people some additional box for watching TV to begin with and they wanna try just that with a console that will cost maybe 499 €. You can get a new TV for that! We'll have to wait and see, but I don't see a revolution coming.



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KHlover on 05 June 2013

The problem is, they are trying to fix a problem that doesn't even exist in the first place. Switching sources with the TV remote? As if anyone has a problem with that. Watching youtube during a commercial? Everyone has a smartphone and many have a tablet these days. Having to change the source again? Well, the remote is right in front of you. DVR? Already integrated in the cable boxes...



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disolitude on 05 June 2013
OdinHades said:
No matter what Microsoft does, they will get crushed by Google. Google will win this TV race just with their low prices. You can get Android Boxes for your TV already for like 50 - 100 €. So even if Microsoft does this or that better, combining every video service on the planet and whatnot, they can't compete. Windows Phone also does some things better than Android but they have no chance in hell. And the fact that all the TV features are only available in the US at launch doesn't exactly feel like they have it all fixed with content providers. Besides, surely you need Xbox Live Gold for all that. so another subscription you won't have to pay with Android.

Just don't fuck with Android. Seriously. If you ask me, it's another useless approach of Microsoft to play with the big boys. They just don't like the fact that they are not the biggest player in this day and age. They really need to get their shit together, especially Windows, as it's their main business and heavily struggling right now. They sure do sit on a lot of money, but if they keep up with their business strategies, throwing out money out of the window like there's no tomorrow, that money will decrease.

I might be horribly wrong, but I just don't see Microsoft having an edge in any way when it comes to TV. It's hard to sell people some additional box for watching TV to begin with and they wanna try just that with a console that will cost maybe 499 €. You can get a new TV for that! We'll have to wait and see, but I don't see a revolution coming.

I may even agree with you here if Google TV had not been out on the market for over a year now and is absolutely terrible. They really havent sold anyone on believing that it is the TV platform worth investing in to.

Also a lot of your post is very misguided. Microsoft has had some of their most profitable quarters ever in the last 12 months. Windows phone has struggled but it appears to be finally picking up steam and their other busnesses remain the best in class.

In terms of Android, I dont see why you wouldnt want to fuck with it. its rise to fame is based on being a free OS mobile platform which to this day isnt very profitable for many players. Remember that Microsoft is pne of the few companies that makes money off android, probably more than Google...



disolitude on 05 June 2013
KHlover said:
The problem is, they are trying to fix a problem that doesn't even exist in the first place. Switching sources with the TV remote? As if anyone has a problem with that. Watching youtube during a commercial? Everyone has a smartphone and many have a tablet these days. Having to change the source again? Well, the remote is right in front of you. DVR? Already integrated in the cable boxes...

The problem isnt switching sources or using a dvr. its content discovery...

The end goal here is not for you to switch or pvr anything but for you to say..."xbox watch tech" and for relevant tech content to start playing, regardless of if its live tv, dvr tv or which app or site is hosting it in the digital world.



Darth Tigris on 05 June 2013

I'm letting this marinate and I think I'm starting to see what you're getting at here. If so, this is ambitious. Heck, it's DISRUPTIVE, seriously!

Folks, please, put away your fanboy goggles and think about the possibilities of this. This isn't what the others are attempting, and that doesn't matter. Don't fight this just because it's MS or you want to hate the X1 or because Apple, Sony and Google aren't attempting it (yet). This is about the future of technology and entertainment content provisions. This is ... everything ala carte. Movies, TV, music and ... games, ala carte. No more searching or trying to decide where to find it, just that you want it, asked and received. This is creeping toward the computer on ST:TNG.

Thanks for this, dis. It makes me feel more confident that we'll see something disruptive this gen instead of iterative. I'm actually starting to get excited even.