A free online video service (most likely to be the BBC iPlayer, but currently unconfirmed) will now be available to ‘Gold’ and ‘Silver’ members of the Xbox Live gaming membership service, after the main issue that prevented this deal from occurring before was Microsoft wanting BBC content to be a Gold (paid subscription) users only, differing from the BBC’s policy of not making viewers have to pay to use services such as the iPlayer (although that might change in the near future). However, it seems as though Microsoft have now backed down on their position.

An official statement from Microsoft UK read: “We’re still working with the BBC to define exactly what we’re going to be bringing, but it’s going to be 2012. We’re working with them now to make sure it’s a really compelling, strong application. They’ve got amazing content. Everybody loves the BBC. So we want to make sure what we deliver is really really good.”

In them meantime, Xbox will add to their current range of UK online video content (including a deal with satellite broadcaster Sky) during their latest ’dashboard update’, due for release today.

Content in the update will feature more heavily on entertainment, and bringing the console in line (design-wise) with Microsoft’s other recent systems (the Windows Phone 7 and upcoming Windows 8 operating system) for a more integrated experience. Video content will also be featured for Gold members in the UK via apps from providers Muzu, LOVEFiLM, YouTube, 4oD, and Demand 5 to go alongside updates to existing services.

With a growing range of video content now implemented and a further selection in the making (with a dedicated entertainment console also being planned), is the Xbox brand now catching up to their rivals where online video content is concerned?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 at 6:24 am and is filed under Games console TV, Internet TV news, iPlayer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.