Today, neither the Xbox One nor the Xbox 360 are an ideal entertainment console. Both are simply priced significantly higher than rival boxes. That being said, both consoles are perfect for families who also have gamers in their household. Microsoft isn’t lowering the price of either console, but it is making both more enticing for households that need an all-in-one entertainment experience by growing the list of apps available through Xbox Live.
Microsoft announced the new slate of apps users can expect its partners to deliver through the holiday season this morning, and the list is definitely extensive.
For the Xbox One Microsoft is integrating a Twitter application into the TV app so that users can see reactions to their favorite shows in real-time. It might help to think of it as Microsoft hoping to recreate the social situations that happen when users are watching the same show in the same room.
Other apps coming to the Xbox One in the United States include Comedy Central, Cruchroll, ENCORE Play, EPIX, Fox Play, Frightflix, GoPro, iHeartRadio,KDrama, MLG, MOVIEPLEX Play, MTV, NBA, NHL, Now TV, Popcornflix, STARZ Play, Syfy now, Target Ticket, TuneIn, USA now, Vevo, VH1 and Vine.
Xbox 360 users will get Watch ABC, Watch Disney Channel, Watch Disney Junior, Watch Disney XD, ShowTime Anytime and FX Now. Xbox 360 users should only be slightly disappointed at the somewhat smaller list of new apps coming to that console. After all, Xbox 360 apps currently outnumber Xbox One apps by a wide margin.
Interestingly enough, it looks like Microsoft still expects HBO Go to arrive on the Xbox and the Xbox 360 sometime this year. Of course, Microsoft said the same thing last year shortly before the Xbox One launched. Rumors indicate that it’s actually HBO dragging its feet on that app. To be clear, HBO Go is available in the United States, just not world wide.
It’s no coincidence that Microsoft is announcing this new slate of upcoming apps today. Early this morning it started rolling out the June Xbox One Update & an update for the Xbox 360. Going forward Xbox Live apps will be available for everyone to download and use, with or without an Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Microsoft didn’t say whether all of these apps will support the Xbox One’s Snap multitasking or include Kinect integration on either console.
