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Xbox One And Cable TV
Microsoft wants the Xbox One to be the centerpiece of your living room, but they’re not going to be shoving cable boxes aside on their way there. Before the Xbox One was announced, some thought Microsoft was working on an all-in-one game console/cable box. Not so fast. The newly announced device is designed to work with existing set-top boxes and cable providers, not usurp them.
“We come to these folks as partners, and a lot of them are like ‘Friend or foe?’” says Phil Spencer, general manager of Microsoft Studios. “A lot of people who have been doing things in this space have been looking to be more foe than friend. We want to partner with, and we want to support their model and make their content unique and premium and shine, where people want to continue to get their high-speed data, their TV, those services, but we can make them richer and more immersive. It’s a benefit for both companies.”
Microsoft says that the long-term goal is to support all major satellite and cable companies in some capacity, though we don’t yet know what will work at launch. Another unanswered question is if the Xbox One’s tech is flexible enough to support older cable boxes or if users will have to purchase something new from their service provider.
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