14 DAY TRIAL // In what is definitely a farfetched recommendation, games industry analyst Michael Pachter has advised Microsoft to consider releasing a tablet-like controller for the Xbox 360, in the vein of the Nintendo Wii U, or even support the integration of existing devices like the iPad or Galaxy Tab.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been experiencing huge sales in recent times, with the console consistently trumping its rivals month after month in the U.S., while gaining market share in the rest of the world.
Now, as part of a series of recommendations for Microsoft ran by Industry Gamers, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter has talked about a peculiar strategy for Microsoft, which could see the company allow more devices to interact with its Xbox 360.
“Microsoft continues to try to support all things Microsoft, sometimes to the exclusion of everything else,” Pachter said. “We see support for Windows 7 (and 8) phones, and over-dependence upon the Kinect camera interface as a gaming controller, rather than upon integration of a physical controller (maybe even Nintendo’s tablet interface).”
The analyst speculated that support for existing devices, like the iPad, would draw in lots of people and even promote the Kinect, while highlighting that the Xbox 360 was a console open to lots of other gadgets.
"If the Xbox 360 could use the iPad or Samsung Galaxy tablets as controllers, it would make Kinect more interesting," the analyst added. "Much respect for the guys at Microsoft, but they would benefit from being more open to interoperability with third party devices."
While Pachter’s idea might prove interesting, it’s unlikely that Microsoft will open up its Xbox 360 to devices like tablets, especially since it’s preparing such gadgets powered by the upcoming Windows 8 operating system.
Until then, Xbox 360 users can interact with the console using either the regular controller or through their gestures or voice, with the help of the Kinect.