Microsoft may be preparing to launch a set-top box in 2013 that would compete with Roku , Apple TV, Google TV, and other set top boxes and software-based streaming services currently available on the open market.
According to the Verge , multiple sources are claiming that Microsoft has been working on the streaming media device for some time now and will introduce the platform with various TV, movie, and gaming services up for grabs.
Microsoft is busily creating its next-generation Xbox hardware, and the box, which would launch at an undisclosed time, would help secure a different user base over the company’s gamer crowd.
It is believed that the Xbox set-top box will feature a stripped-down version of Windows 8.
According to speculation, the system will feature “instant-on” technology and a remote control for ease of use.
It is also believed that the set-top box will be used to unify Microsoft devices including smartphones, Xbox 360 consoles, and perhaps even notebooks and tablets.
Microsoft could make an even bigger splash by licensing out connectivity options to TV OEMs, allowing them to instantly connect Microsoft devices to their television sets.
Microsoft has been promising to connect its ecosystem of devices for some time now. As cloud computing becomes more prevalent and users turn to non-traditional computing methods, now seems like the perfect time to shift focus towards a device that can connect different devices to one another with ease of use standards.
Would you be willing to purchase a Microsoft set-top box and connect it to an ecosystem of Microsoft created gadgets?
