14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is reportedly planning to introduce a new flavor of its Windows operating system designed for television sets.
The 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show will kick off tomorrow in Las Vegas with a keynote from Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer.
This is Ballmer’s third year keynoting the hardware event, and the CEO is expected to announce a range of new products including slates but also hot new PCs, to give a sneak peek at the future of Windows, as well as to reveal additional offerings birthed through its OEM partnerships.
Among them a new version of Windows designed to allow TV manufacturers to kick up a notch the experience offered to viewers.
According to Seattle Times, the new Windows OS is a flavor of the company’s Windows Embedded platform, but with additional capabilities, including media streaming and remote-control features, and also featuring Windows Media Center.
As winrumors points out, the concept is not exactly new, as the software giant already discussed the possibilities of enhancing the TV experience by bringing the Internet and Windows into the mix.
The new Windows powered set-top boxes and connected TVs appear to be designed as competitors for Google TV and Apple TV, although Microsoft has yet to confirm this.
Of course, the Redmond company has already invested consistently in making the TV experience so much more than current customers are used to.
Microsoft has been offering the Mediaroom digital media platform to service providers for years now, touting the offering’s success with customers.
There are no indications at this point in time whether the new Windows for TVs will be linked to Mediaroom in any way.
However, this is Microsoft we’re talking about, and as such, users can expect at least some level of integration.
Think about it in the lines of the three screens strategy that is defining the software giant’s vision for the future, with Windows PCs, Windows Phone, TVs connected seamlessly via the Cloud.