Microsoft’s Xbox TV era ends in May with the removal of OneGuide TV listings

Microsoft is removing the TV programming feature from the Xbox One in May. Originally presented as part of its broad ambition to take control of the living room, OneGuide TV listings on Xbox One were designed to overlap the cable box and provide a better way to access content. You can also combine the feature with an Xbox USB TV tuner to access open TV channels.

“Based on customer usage and feedback, we’re constantly improving the Xbox experience,” says Jonathan Hildebrandt, program manager for the Xbox Experiences group at Microsoft. “To that end, starting this May we will be closing OneGuide’s live TV listings on Xbox One.” OneGuide users will still be able to access the HDMI pass-through feature on Xbox One to watch connected devices or access a TV tuner, but the TV listings will be removed.

It is the final nail in the coffin for Microsoft’s original dream of turning the Xbox One into a digital entertainment hub, or modern cable TV box. Kinect and an HDMI pass were central to this plan, but the $ 100 price difference between the Xbox One and PS4, more bulky VCR-like hardware with less performance and the focus on entertainment has blurred the waters than it was basically video game console.

Microsoft has been gradually backing down its efforts on the Xbox TV in recent years with the removal of Kinect, the Xbox One instant mode disappearing, media resources disappearing and a reduced Xbox TV DVR feature. The Xbox One looked like a cable cutter’s dream, but that quickly dissipated after a few years of the console’s existence. Microsoft’s latest Xbox Series X / S consoles no longer include an HDMI port or the company’s OneGuide app.