Xbox Companion for Windows Phone 7 Arrives Tomorrow

Microsoft announced today that the Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 will arrive tomorrow, December 6. The free app allows you to use your Windows Phone 7 handset in tandem with Microsoft's highly successful video game console.

"Starting December 6, the free Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 will let you find, learn more about and control content from popular entertainment services on Xbox LIVE," a Microsoft press release vaguely reads.

xboxcompanionapp_0

Fortunately, Major Nelson has more information. He notes the following features of this app:

Xbox Companion search powered by Bing. Search the unified Xbox catalog for movies, TV shows, music, games and apps using the Windows phone. View a detailed unified results page across all content providers. You can see recently played games and apps and browse the Zune video catalog

Using the Xbox Companion app you can learn more details about the movie, TV show, music or game that is playing on your console. You can also get friend activity (friends online, friends with beacons, friends who have recently played), achievements and related items.  You’ll also be able to select a search result, and launch a movie, TV show, game or app on the connected console as well as play, pause, forward, or rewind the playing video or music on the connected Xbox, initiate media purchase and navigate your Xbox console with Windows Phone using the Xbox Companion.

Discuss this Article 6

rjohn05
on Dec 5, 2011
So let me get this straight. They can pull in movie content and show my latest game stats but i can't send a photo or video that is in my Pictures Hub to my TV thru XBOX for viewing??
glonq
on Dec 5, 2011
If MS cared about the companion app or about xbox customers, they would have released the app for smartphones that a majority of their customers actually use. This? This is "here's a cute perk to make you slightly less ashamed to own a WP7 phone"
JimmyFal
on Dec 5, 2011
Proud to own a WP7 Titan, ESPECIALLY after playing with my buddies IPhone4s at coffee all week long. No comparison. WP7 flat out prettier, easier to use, and more accurate for the voice recognition. Let the games begin. How do they roll with that tiny little screen?
glonq
on Dec 6, 2011
I suppose their tiny iPhone screens works better than WP7's because their UI isn't bloated and inefficient. Or maybe they're too busy using tons of apps and being cool and relevant to care. 'course with android you can have your cake (or gingerbread, or ice cream sammich) and eat it too.
swizzlerz
on Dec 7, 2011
well it didnt come out and its the 7th. probably due to the delayed dashboard update.. interesting... Paul. Music and Video all have ZUNE logos.. Ms debunked that idea fast that no more zune. still zune in new dashboard.
pthurrott
on Dec 7, 2011
MS didn't "debunk" anything other than that they haven't yet decided on a new media brand. Zune is dead. Sorry.

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