Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • PC Hardware

    Microsoft to Shut Down WebTV Successor MSN TV

    By
    Pedro Hernandez
    -
    July 8, 2013
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Microsoft is shuttering its MSN TV service, formerly WebTV, on Sept. 30, 2013, the company announced on its Website and in an email to current customers. Microsoft acquired WebTV Networks in 1997 for $425 million.

      Long before smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, WebTV set-top boxes offered consumers a comparatively low-cost alternative to PCs, enabling them to access the Internet and browse Websites on their television sets. In an April 6, 1997, statement announcing the deal, Bill Gates, Microsoft’s CEO at the time, said that the buy “underscores our strategy of delivering to consumers the benefits of the Internet together with emerging forms of digital broadcasting.”

      WebTV was rebranded as MSN TV in 2001. Twelve years later, and amid a boom in mobile device sales, MSN TV is facing its end.

      “For the past decade, we have been excited to build products that provided our customers with easy access to the Internet on TV. Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to an end. Today we are announcing that we will be closing the MSN TV service,” wrote the company in an email to subscribers, which was posted by VentureBeat.

      “We want to sincerely thank you for your continued support of the MSN TV service over the years. We have enjoyed bringing this technology to such loyal customers,” added Microsoft.

      In a FAQ published on the WebTV.com Website, the company hinted that MSN TV was a relic of the past. Since WebTV’s launch and after subsequent updates, “the web has continued to evolve at a breathtaking pace, and there are many new ways to access the internet,” wrote the company.

      “Accordingly, we have made the difficult decision to end the MSN TV service on September 30th, 2013. We are working with our customers to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible,” added Microsoft. Current subscribers are advised to save their data, including emails, favorites and photos, to the company’s cloud-based services, namely Outlook.com and SkyDrive.

      Since the days of dial-up, demand for Internet-enabled set-top boxes has dwindled. Smartphones, tablets and residential broadband now allow consumers to surf the Web from their couches without interrupting on-screen programming—the so-called second screen experience. According to NDP Group, 87 percent of TV viewers in the United States use at least one second-screen device while indulging in some programming.

      The arrival of smart TVs and Web-capable video game consoles like Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s own Xbox 360 further diminished the appeal of WebTV-like devices for users who want to use their HDTVs to surf the Web.

      Microsoft isn’t the only company facing these challenges. Device and PC peripheral maker Logitech announced in late 2011 that the company was giving up on Google TV after having lost $100 million on the Revue, an Android-powered set-top box. LG eschewed companion devices and instead opted to bake Google TV into select models of its 2013 TV lineup.

      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to eWEEK and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      eWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      Zeus Kerravala - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      Wayne Rash - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×