Would you subscribe to Microsoft streaming TV?

[Windows Central Question]

The Playstation Vue seemed to have found a place. Why not Microsoft? I would jump on this type of service if Microsoft had it available. Especially running through the Xbox. What do you say?

 

[Ryujingt3]

No, because:

A) It won't be available in all countries
B) MS will drop it within a week of launch

 

[Whodaboss]

No, because:

A) It won't be available in all countries
B) MS will drop it within a week of launch

a) Not too concerned about all countries (for now). I think it would be a great start even if only in the US for now.

b) True. Based on their track record MS might drop it, but I still think it would be another way to get more Xbox's in homes.

I still think it would be a great start to work back into the consumer market.

 

[Ryujingt3]

a) Not too concerned about all countries (for now). I think it would be a great start even if only in the US for now.

b) True. Based on their track record MS might drop it, but I still think it would be another way to get more Xbox's in homes.

I still think it would be a great start to work back into the consumer market.

MS need to do way more than just this to get back into the consumer markets and get customer respect again.

 

[ryanlrobinson]

It wouldn't come to Canada anyway, but even if it did, I would have a hard time caring without some stellar exclusives. There are too many streaming services with too much fantastic content. I don't need more. What I do need is an app that ties everything together in one nice place, giving the convenience of a cable box but with content from Netflix, Amazon, CraveTV, TMN Go (HBO), etc. OneGuide seemed like they were going to try to do that before they gave up and rolled it back to just be live TV, so not really an advantage over using a cable box directly but a minor advantage to those of using OTA TV. Apple now has something that looks pretty good but doesn't include Netflix or TMN Go (I think it might get TMN Go since it has other Bell Media services, but Netflix is still a huge hole). I would love if Microsoft decided to revive OneGuide and beat Apple to getting all the big services on board, but that's not realistic. I might end up with an Apple TV as the only Apple device in our house just to get this app, unless Google or Roku decide to get in on the idea.

 

[Hirox K]

B) What's dropped with a week of launch? Is there any way to sustain it?

 

[Tyrone Bigguns]

No...specially NO with Nutella in charge. He will most likely say he supports it, pushes it, then silently kills it off a month later as usual.

 

[Drewidian]

I have two XBox Ones and one XBox One X. I was really disappointed that MS didn't partner with Cable companies and offer subsidized Xbox Ones for say $15/month. It has everything the Cable companies need to stem cord cutting, and possibly win consumers back. I still think that if MS Announced this deal with say Comcast and long partners AT&T that new subscribers would get an Xbox from the living room, they would have twice as many Xboxes in livingrooms as PS4s. The HDMI input, guide, and streaming services would have made living room integration a snap and heavily desired. If MS had added a Roku like device for secondary rooms with the ability to stream recorded content from the main Xbox One in the livingroom and put Movies and TV available on iOS and Android, they'd be a considerable competitor to Apple TV.

As for a streaming TV service... I don't know. MS has screwed the pooch on so many consumer services and not invested/had a good strategy for their media services that I don't know how successful they would be in pushing it. Maybe if they released their services world wide and made it work with iOS and Android it could work, but I'm skeptical.

 

[Kevin Rush]

Microsoft has Windows Media Center and WMC originally had Internet streaming, universal sports team TV schedules, and still has over the air Television and cable card cable TV. Microsoft didn't include Windows Media Center in Windows 10 but it is alive and functioning in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. It has been added into Windows 10 by independent programmers that are fans. WMC has the most family friendly user interface I have ever seen and can be set up as a whole house media system. The options available in WMC have been far ranging. Go to the web site TheGreenButton.TV and search the fan forums.

Microsoft is so rich they can afford to waste ideas and discard huge amounts of programming intellectual effort. The intellectual property that Microsoft has developed on this topic is wasted because of no Consumer leadership. Maybe Microsoft should make it open source so consumers could benefit and development could proceed

Best Wishes.

 

[fredie12]

After 5 windows phones and converting may others to have microsoft to just dump it and not think twice about its loyal users like myself! NO WAY EVER!

 

[Paul Josephson]

Well PSVue is not doing well at the moment:

According SIE head Kodera, he recently stated at an investors meeting "PS Vue is facing harder-than-expected competitions. Vue and PSVR would aim for further growth with realistic outlook."

In other words, aiming for "realistic outlook" equals the PSVue is not doing well.
We already have Hulu, Netflix, even Sony's Crackle and others on the Xbox. I don't see how a similar feature like PSVue on the Xbox. would have any better luck than PSVue itself is having on the PS4

Now, perhaps if Microsoft had a device that was all streaming (full Xbox games, music, video – all bought and sold – including especially “Movies Anywhere”, and yes streaming TV like PSVue) it could be a killer device. The games would be streaming like PSNow – but actually without compromise (which Microsoft is working towards anyway) And the device as a whole should not be designed around the game console features itself as the central hub, it might work. The problem is that thing you are proposing in order to be successful (worth the MS investment) must be ready for those less tech-minded crowd or for those where media is the primary consumption, not gaming. Not an Xbox only option. That would end up like their streaming music service, abandoned. That means this separate device would have to be a one that has a much easier interface for the general public. The current Xbox UI is overwhelming for people not use to the Xbox interface and can even be overwhelming to those that are used to the Xbox interface, The Xbox One UI is not really designed for making it a streaming-only box (get rid of all the social features – or tame them down - would be a good start). Of course, this device would have to be much cheaper than the Xbox. That shouldn’t be hard mainly because it would primarily have no local storage or need not as much memory – or more expensive CPU or Video– all streaming features remember. It would need to have a true remote included. (e.g. Apple TV – but better). Not a device that was using a game controller for interaction - which for most people like my wife or when my parents come over and want to watch Netflix, find navigating by a controller is not the natural way they are accustom to. That is how a system would best meet the needs of a larger population not just a small subset of Xbox One console gamers.

I am not discounting that this MSVue (copyright me :grin couldn’t be built as part of the Xbox game console. Another app as part of the Xbox itself. But being integrated into a dedicated console as the only option would not lead to a successful outing as Sony is finding. The integration into a dedicated gaming console would only be a piece of the puzzle. Microsoft needs to make this popular by owning a device like an AppleTV for a pure streaming option. But make it lower cost device, like Amazon devices. Make money of selling services. The main advantage is that it will have game streaming (real games – not Candy Crush) from an Xbox game streaming service as well as MSVue. That would make the service a winner. We know Nadella is all about the cloud and has aspirations of game streaming. This would be a great way to spread those additional services, like streaming Gamer's Pass games, MSVue, and more. But, catering to just those that have an Xbox would have limited returns like PSVue. Perhaps work out deals to integrate the whole package of this smaller device into SmartTVs. Make it so before Google Android takes over by integrating their own streaming services, which will include real video games streamed to those Android TV devices. You will not win unless you cover all the bases and do it all at once not in a slow methodical way (often losing strategy).

Oh, and don’t announce this product 18 months before you release it. Don’t let the competition outflank you. God, Microsoft never learns. Announce it, then have it on the market immediately. Plan for a long fight. Continue to support it. And support it. And support it. Update it. And support it. And update it. And support it. You get the point. Don’t abandon it. Both Microsoft and Sony are probably the only two companies that can actually provide the most complete streaming option. Because they have the one element competitors like Google or Apple or Amazon don’t have a true gaming system (with a large catalog) to build into a complete streaming option (video, music, gaming, TV, plus third-party apps). And with Microsofts strong data center presence worldwide they can easily ratchet this service up worldwide. And that is a major key as well. Don't' take several years to go outside the US. Any planned streaming system should be competing immediately in the US (yes you too Canada) along with Europe and as many markets as you can on the service/device release.

 

[argeniszurita]

...

 

[naddy6969]

"Sony has one, why not Microsoft?"

Because Sony is a consumer electronics company.

Besides, there are already LOTS of streaming services. I can already stream everything I want to see, on any device I have. Windows/MacOS PCs, laptops, tablets, phones. What is MS going to offer - at this late date - to make anyone care?

 

[Robert Rathbun]

The market is saturated with streaming services, MS would have to buy its way in and not screw up the purchase in the process. Perhaps if they bought Netflix and let them remain somewhat independent it might work.

 

[jrealtor1]

Loved a lot of MS products over the years, but after recent events for consumer based products, Hell to the no. Once bitten!

 

[mggm100]

No. It's going to take me a while to regain trust that Microsoft will keep it going.

 

[Richard Crainium]

No. MS has a poor track record in this space. Grove was half assed. MS is also not known as a company that is effective in catching up technology. Even when they have the market lead, MS Phone 6.5, they are too slow to innovate for the consumer market.

 

[sunil254]

I will. They also need to bring traditional remote to access channels.

 

[DRDiver]

LOL. No. As many have pointed out, Microsoft's track record is to get you hooked and then dump you. I don't have anything to do with the TV & Movies because it simply doesn't compare with what I can do with Vudu/Ultraviolet. They ditched their music service (AND all the integrated functionality that used to exist), so why on EARTH would anyone even consider buying into a Microsoft streaming service?

 

[gregsedwards]

Sure, why not? Subscribing is a completely different proposition from buying. You're not buying anything, especially if it wasn't exclusive to Xbox consoles. You're just renting access to the content. It could disappear tomorrow, and you'd be out nothing. I'd jump on it for sure.