Never. Nada. No chance at all. I've been involved in so called "TV entertainment project" in T-mobile. MS is far to expensive and less willing to adapt to customer (in this case TV Providers). Competition in this market ("Set-top box"/CAS/"media servers" manufacturers) is very strong. TVPs need to have full control on bootloader and broadcast signal access. MS Live! network is so tight and "secure" that 3rd parties have no control at all (it is inconvinient and unacceptable from TVPs stand point).

From the other side - YES it is possible, but don't count on it.

This is crazy. Does no PS fan know anything about Xbox One?

1. This can be added at anytime.

2. ???? I am already doing this with SkyDrive app, Machinima among others. I can see whats new in the guide. You have to customise the Guide to see the app. Its not rocket science.

3. Microsoft can do whatever deal they want

4. No need. Xbox 360 has been recieving Sky in the UK Live for over 3 years without needing a single Cable or box anywhere in the house.

5. Yes they do. But the 2 countries Im referring to have always had way more on Xbox. Already in the UK on Xbox One theres over 25 apps. Windows 8 Kernell baby.

6. Cable companies do not make their own hardware. They have companies do it for them and pay those companies. My Sky box is made by Amstrad others by PACE.

As you say 360 has been doing it for years and it was never offered as a cable box by SKY, and expect that exclusivity to be over, SKY will be putting there streaming apps on as many devices as possible from now on, they will not restrict themselves to a small userbase where they have to activley push someone elses hardware. 

Look, I hear what you're saying. I did not know you could add specific channels to the guide, but here's the problem. While as you point out, there is a workaround for all this. It cannot replace a cable box. Fundamentally, you understand what I'm saying, right? A cable box has specific things it needs, and an xbox cannot do them. Yes, maybe one day there will be a new generation of cable box, the "streambox", but until then it won't replace.

The coax right now is standard, and the upgrade is to fiber optic. Stream isn't even on the horizon. Why would cable companies just give up their major advantage in profit margin? While there is a slow downfall of the cable company, and that makes them nervous, streaming isn't going to just pop up in two years. This is a thing that takes much much more time.

Now, what Microsoft COULD do, is release a new SKU that has a coax, but that's 5 years down the line. I even made a thread that they could do this....what, a year ago. I know it's possible. It's not possible on xb1.

If this would happen, Cable companies could do the same with the competition (PS4) which is cheaper hardware wise. Also it would be funny to see that the cable companies are not using/supporting the extra input from Xbox one (because that's the media part of the Xbox one) but want/do it with an app. The whole idea of the Xbox one hardware design for the media part, was not necessary if that's the case! And the price could have been cheaper and they didn't needed two OS on the hardware.

I'm very interested if this will really go forward!

Me neither. Why would cable providers get in bed with MS? What would be in it for them? They would much rather control the distribution themselves. Plus how is cable TV behind a paywall make sense? Since we are talking about apps, they will definitely require Gold

Its not about that. Sony are very blatnatly not advertising that they are a media device. They are categorically playing the console gaming card.

Unlike the Xbox 360, from the word go Microsoft have been advertising the Xbox One as a versatile media box. Hell look at the adverts for Xbox One compared to PS4. Thers the really big Xbox One advert going at the moment which is extremely clever advertising the TV function. It takes the actual program your watching at the time, Says Xbox Go Home to reveal the Program playing in the Xbox Dashboard. Very clever advert.

Its already common knowledge with Virgin and Sky that Microsoft have got big things planned in the UK. Hell if your in the UK phone them and ask them. They are extremely enthusiastic about 2014 with Xbox One.

From the marketing point of view Free advertising through Microsoft with the amount of money Microsoft spend on advertising is an extremely good bonus. Ive yet to see 1 PS advert here. And have seen probably 30-40 Xbox adverts? Sony need to advertise more.

And I think if Sky were going to do PS they would have done PS3 in the last 3 years. Wouldnt they? Especially with the success of 360 and Sky.

Oh hold on. Im not saying they wont have cable box as a major option still. Im saying that these companies will offer the Xbox One option to.

So a customer can choose Sky with a Sky HD box, or Sky with an Xbox One. One requires a Sky Dish on the side of your house and a Sky Box, the other an internet connection and an Xbox One. But the Xbox One also offers Gaming, Internet surfing, Apps, Wuaki.TV, Netflix etc. Its an alternative and something that cables would benefit from as Streaming services are now offering all but live sports these days which is starting to encroach on cable providers. Embracing that is a smart move for cable companies to adapt.

There are plenty of PS adverts on TV at the moment in the UK, i see them every night.

Still you have no compelling reason why a TV company would try to replace there own TV box with someone elses. they will never do it instead of there own. A supplement like last gen is all it will ever be, and it will be on all devices.

2016, cable. Yea right.