With the problems Microsoft is facing with its Xbox division due to the continued rise of the PlayStation 4, we have to wonder, what is the next step? Well, it would seem as if the plan right now is to launch a smaller version of the Xbox One in 2016.
Don't get too excited just yet, because according to the latest rumors, this small Xbox One won't be an ordinary Xbox One. This device will likely not support games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 or Star Wars: Battlefront. From what we're hearing, it will be designed to compete with the Apple TV, and will only be capable of playing games from the Windows Store.
If what the rumors are saying is true, then this Xbox One might be nothing more than a streaming box with basic gaming capabilities. Several reports of this device were rumored before the Xbox One was launched back in 2013. However, nothing official came from Microsoft, so it is quite interesting to see it pop up again nearly three years later.
We're not sure how an Xbox One that can only play Windows Store games and apps would work, but it is clear that Microsoft may need something to compete with the likes of Apple TV and Google Chromecast. The Xbox One can do everything these devices are capable of and more. However, the problem is the price, and who is willing to pay $350 just to stream movies, TV shows, and play basic games? Not many.
Using a streaming stick or an Apple TV for streaming movies and TV shows, along with playing basic video games, will work well because these devices use far less electricity than an Xbox One. Furthermore, these devices are small, and as such, can be easily attached to a TV or monitor and kept out of sight.
It should be interesting to see if Microsoft will go down this route. The company probably doesn't need to, but another Xbox One if done right could be a good thing to expand the brand. We've seen Sony expanding the PlayStation brand to other products, and this move has worked out well for the company.
Photo: Marco Verch | Flickr
