Verizon And Microsoft Team Up For FiOS TV + Xbox 360 Partnership
Microsoft sure is stretching the life of the Xbox 360. Despite being on shelves for years and years, the company continues to come up with new and innovative ways to make it feel like a brand new console all over again. The introduction of Kinect added an entirely new level of depth and control, and now Microsoft's teaming up with Verizon to announce an agreement that will open the door to a new FiOS TV-powered entertainment experience for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.
Using a Verizon-developed software application, FiOS TV and Internet customers who are also Xbox LIVE Gold members will be able to view popular live TV channels through their Xbox consoles without any extra hardware required. This holiday, Verizon will bring a selection of popular live TV channels to Xbox 360 and will be a leader in delivering live, multichannel streaming HD TV, integrated with Kinect, via the Xbox.
Of course, the primary issue is that only a small group of Americans have access to FiOS TV, and Verizon has shown no real effort to expand the footprint of FiOS TV beyond what is already in motion. Will this kind of partnership bleed over to cable companies? Are they will to give up a little control in order to win the hearts of gamers, who may otherwise ditch cable altogether for online-based alternatives?
Using a Verizon-developed software application, FiOS TV and Internet customers who are also Xbox LIVE Gold members will be able to view popular live TV channels through their Xbox consoles without any extra hardware required. This holiday, Verizon will bring a selection of popular live TV channels to Xbox 360 and will be a leader in delivering live, multichannel streaming HD TV, integrated with Kinect, via the Xbox.
Of course, the primary issue is that only a small group of Americans have access to FiOS TV, and Verizon has shown no real effort to expand the footprint of FiOS TV beyond what is already in motion. Will this kind of partnership bleed over to cable companies? Are they will to give up a little control in order to win the hearts of gamers, who may otherwise ditch cable altogether for online-based alternatives?
