Updated: Xbox took another big step today in its quest to become the social TV hub of your living room. Xbox Live’s Marc Whitten announced a bevy of new features at E3 for Kinect-enabled systems. “We believe TV is more amazing when you’re the controller,” he said, unveiling a new voice-controlled navigation system spanning games, music and video.
Whitten also teased a live TV service, coming soon. Building off international partnerships with SkyTV, Canal+ and FoxTel, Whitten said Xbox is working on expanding live programming to the U.S. within the next year. There’s no word on any partners, but this screen grab (below) of the live TV service displays two ABC shows…
And the press release hints at the addition of local channels, as well: “Consumers will enjoy news, sports and their favorite local channels, all just a voice command away, on Xbox 360.” Microsoft didn’t talk about pricing, either, although some blogs have speculated that Xbox Live will launch a premium “Diamond” service that will include live TV.
The live TV service will also include a DVR and program guide — which briefly appeared in the demo, but Whitten did not elaborate. When you consider Xbox’s audience (53 million sold, 30+ million on Xbox Live, 40% of time spent not gaming), this is akin to a huge new cable TV startup moving into the space, with a large social community layered over it. “Around the world, the Xbox connects more people to online content and communities through the largest screen in the house than any other device,” explains Microsoft’s Frank Shaw. “You’ll see Xbox marketed more as an entertainment brand this year.”
Whitten also announced that a voice-controlled Bing is coming to Xbox Live. “Bing on Xbox gives you effortless discovery,” he said. “You say it, Xbox finds it.” It searches across Netflix, Hulu Plus, ESPN, as well as music, video and Xbox LIVE marketplaces. And YouTube will be available on Xbox soon, as well.
“With voice search, you can say ‘Xbox, Bing, Harry Potter,’ and your Xbox will find all the Harry Potter content available to you on Xbox LIVE, whether it’s a game, a movie, or a soundtrack,” explains Xbox’s Molly O’Donnell.
Whitten said they’re planning to increase the number of partners on Xbox Live by a “factor of ten” over the next year. “All of the entertainment you want, with the people you care about, made easy,” he said. The new Xbox features are expected to roll out this fall.
(Full disclosure: I work for msnbc.com, which is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC.)
