14 DAY TRIAL // During its E3 2011 press conference, Microsoft unleashed a huge batch of details about the future of its Xbox 360 console, as well as its Kinect motion sensor, and all the services that will be coming to both devices in the near future.
What was rumored yesterday is now a reality, as Microsoft confirmed that it will be bringing a TV subscription service to its console, just like it's been doing up until now with Sky TV in the UK, Canal+ in France or FoxTel in Australia.
Microsoft is going to be signing partnerships with cable operators from all around the world, not just in the US, to bring programming to existing Xbox Live users, eliminating the need for standard cable subscriptions.
New, more specific partnerships, like the existing Netflix, Hulu or ESPN ones, will be made, with Microsoft revealing the addition of dedicated YouTube and the Ultimate Fighting Championship applications.
The role of the Kinect motion sensor is also going to be expanded this year, as the range of voice commands will grow exponentially, effectively allowing owners to use the Xbox 360 without a controller.
The Kinect will be a core part of the upcoming New Xbox Experience update, which is going to be deployed this fall and bring a whole new interface to the dashboard of the Xbox 360, similar to how the Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system or the preview builds of Windows 8 look.
Besides letting you have access and control during the playback of movies or TV shows, the Kinect will also allow you to comb through the large entertainment offers that will be available on the Xbox 360, thanks to the integration of Microsoft's Bing search system.
"Bing on Xbox will search Netflix, Hulu+, ESPN, as well as music, video and Xbox LIVE marketplaces," Microsoft explains. "The goal is to find the exact entertainment the customer is looking for. With Bing on Xbox and Kinect, consumers can use their voices to find the specific games, movies, TV shows, sports and music they are looking for."
For example, if users say 'Xbox, Bing, Harry Potter', the system will search for everything regarding Harry Potter now available for the Xbox 360, from movies to games, TV shows or soundtracks, and display them to the user.
“Between Netflix, Hulu, ESPN, Zune, and more, we offer a lot of content and that trend is not ending,” Molly O’Donnell, Xbox 360 director of marketing integration says. “You could use your controller to find things, or use your hand, but what’s easier than you saying it and Xbox finding it? It’s making technology relevant and useful, and it’s awesome to be able to use technology that our wonderful decision engine Bing has already developed.”
The Xbox 360 software update that brings all these new features, including increased Kinect control, Bing voice search, YouTube or UFC, is scheduled to arrive this fall, right before the holiday season.
Until then, check out some screenshots of the new dashboard below.
