Speaking at Microsoft's E3 2012 conference, corporate vice president of Xbox Live Marc Whitten introduced Microsoft's bid to more fully integrate its range of devices, and those of its rivals: Xbox SmartGlass.
The content-sharing technology was demonstrated in various capacities, focusing on its ability to provide augmented content for all forms of entertainment on Xbox. It's cross-platform, too, compatible not just with Microsoft's Windows Phone and tablets, but iOS and Android devices too.
Game players will be able to, for example, set up plays in Madden on their Windows tablet, or pause Halo 4 in order to use the same device to arrange a multiplayer game, turing the tablet into a Wii U-like second screen.
Watching TV series, viewers will be fed additional information about the show. The example shown was a map following the events of an episode of Game Of Thrones, showing you where scenes were taking place.
And as it's all in the cloud, of course, you can start a movie on the train on your phone or tablet, then pick-up exactly where you left off when you get back to your TV.
Curiously, one of SmartGlass's other funtions is to turn your phone or tablet into a remote control for your Xbox, enabling you to swipe, pinch and tap your way through the console's home menus every time the Kinect mic fails to understand you correctly.
This new touchscreen integration also ushers in the previously rumoured arrival of Internet Explorer on Xbox.
"We're delivering, for the first time, a fast, fluid and intuitive web experience in the living room," explained an enthusiastic Whitten.
"The web's just a voice command or simple swipe away."
And if it can be used as a "remote control" for web browsing, then why not also an alternative control method? While nothing of the kind was mentioned, it's not hard to imagine smaller developers taking advantage of the technology to bring a little more of the App Store to XBLIG.
SmartGlass and Internet Explorer for Xbox will both launch worldwide this Autumn. Keep on top of all the biggest announcements at this year's E3 using our E3 2012 topic page.
Comments
2I guess they felt they too long to copy Nintendo's idea of motion controls so they're getting right on it when it comes to copying the Wii U.
I agree as their presentation seemed more like guess work on how they will combat the threat of WiiU without divulging any info on the Nextbox.
They are also trying to use the "Entertainment System" moniker that served Nintendo so well but i think they got it a lll wrong. That moniker has one already been used (so it has a clinical association with Nintendo products) and two is associated with just games as entertainment, so Microsofts message is getting lost in translation. I think the space Microsoft are going in is good (lucrative) for them when they are competing with Sony, but i can see a lot of problems cropping up with cable/satellite companies as they are selling the same value preposition. This may become sticky at some point as Microsofts platform is very broadband reliant. So I have a feeling they will be testing the waters with monthly subscriptions whilst teaming up with service providers when the Nextbox is released.