Xbox Remains an Important Microsoft Moneymaker: 10 Reasons Why

by Don Reisinger

One of the most important things to understand about Microsoft’s Xbox One is that it appears to tap into consumers’ many desires for an entertainment device. Delivering a variety of entertainment options with the ability to search the Web and control features through gestures, the device has all of the bases covered.

Microsoft is maintaining a laser focus on entertainment with the Xbox One. The device is capable of streaming television channels and can also provide access to a variety of movie services, like Netflix. Microsoft has finally realized that there’s money to be made in entertainment.

Although Kinect, Microsoft’s motion-sensing input device, made its debut on the Xbox, the new and improved sensor is also expected to be a cross-platform product. The sensor will ship first with the Xbox One later this year. But it will also ship to Windows 8 users next year, according to reports. Expect Kinect to play a key role in Microsoft’s product strategies.

Now that Microsoft owns Skype, it’s no surprise that the company is doing everything it can to increase its usage. With the Xbox One, users will be able to connect to Skype and hold full video conferencing calls from the device. It’s an obvious inclusion, but a nice one, nonetheless.

One of the most interesting things about the Xbox One is that its interface is designed to look and feel like Windows 8. What that means is that the console is essentially an extension of Windows 8 and will likely be treated as such for the entire duration.

Not surprisingly, given the Windows 8 interface and the Xbox One’s always-on connection, the device is designed to act like a computer. The console comes with a Web browser, users can store data on the device, and it does everything from playing video to gaming. Sounds like a computer to me.

Microsoft has made the interesting move of making the Xbox One sit on top of televisions. In other words, the device is capable of providing television network listings and other information while it’s on. Microsoft has decided that it wants to have a prominent place in the living room entertainment center. And it’s doing so with the Xbox One.

Looking around the gaming industry, it’s clear that the online-playing craze has hit an all-time high. So, it’s no surprise that Microsoft is once again ramping up its online efforts with a new and improved Xbox Live. The offering will include game playing, of course, but will also feature the ability to sell used games and more. It’ll be a nice update.

The end to physical media has been bandied about for years, but it’s quite possible that it could finally happen with Microsoft’s full weight behind the move. The Xbox One will allow users to buy digital versions of games. Those who buy physical disks will be required to download the title to the console and never need the disk again. It appears Microsoft is determined to complete the move to a diskless world.

Although Microsoft has provided few details on what this means for consumers, the Xbox One will always—always—be connected to the Internet. That, of course, opens a world of possibilities (and perhaps security concerns) to consumers, and could mean that Microsoft has once again acknowledged that a completely offline environment is all but dead.