Microsoft will launch xCloud game streaming service Sept. 15 on Android

(Microsoft Image)

Microsoft on Tuesday revealed a launch date and other details about its new cloud-based gaming service.

Project xCloud will debut across 22 markets (including the U.S.) on Sept. 15 for Android, allowing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription members to play more than 100 games on their phone or tablet. Microsoft did not say when xCloud will be coming to iOS devices; there could be a delay due to Apple’s App Store policies, as The Verge noted.

Bit disappointed we havent heard an update yet on xCloud for PC or iOS.

Android stuff is good, but only one piece of a much larger pie.

— Brad Sams (@bdsams) August 4, 2020

xCloud lets users play high-powered Xbox games such as Halo on their smartphones. xCloud will be coming to Windows 10 as well as the Xbox platform. The service was in public preview across North America, Europe, and South Korea earlier this year; the preview will end on Sept. 11.

Microsoft said last month that Project xCloud would be included in its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership program. The Ultimate package includes access to both console and PC games, in addition to an Xbox Live Gold membership, for $14.99/month. There are more than 10 million Xbox Game Pass members.

Some refer to xCloud as the “Netflix of games,” given that it lets users access a library of games via the cloud.

Microsoft said today it is partnering with Razer, PowerA, 8BitDo, and Nacon to sell new accessories built for xCloud such as phone clips and travel controllers. Gamers can also use the Xbox One Bluetooth Wireless and PlayStation DualShock 4 controllers.

Games available via xCloud include Halo 5: Guardians, Destiny 2, Grounded, Gears 5, Tell Me Why, Forza Horizon 4, and most of the titles in the Xbox Game Pass library, according to an FAQ page.

Microsoft is competing with companies including Google and Nvidia that are also investing in cloud-based gaming services.

“Cloud gaming removes the need to wait until you can access your console in order to play your favorite games: Just pick up your phone or tablet and play the games you want, any time you want,” xCloud chief Kareem Choudhry wrote in a blog post.

Microsoft is also gearing up to release its new console, the Xbox Series X, later this year.

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Microsoft to sunset Cortana on iOS and Android in pivot to ‘productivity-focused’ assistant

(Microsoft Image)

Microsoft will shut down Cortana on a wide range of devices, reflecting the challenge for third-party voice assistants attempting to compete with built-in programs like Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

The company announced Friday it will discontinue all third-party Cortana skills on Sept. 7, and in early 2021 the company will stop supporting the Cortana app for iOS and Android devices.

Cortana will no longer be integrated with the Harman Kardon Invoke smart speaker starting in January 2021 as well. Microsoft says it will work with Harman Kardon to create a transition plan for customers, including offering a $50 gift card for each active speaker, with some caveats. In addition, Microsoft will no longer offer Cortana as a built-in voice assistant on the original Surface Headphones.

The decision reflects Microsoft’s focus on business and enterprise technology over consumer offerings. Microsoft will focus on repurposing aspects of Cortana for its suite of productivity products rather than attempting to compete on consumer devices with leaders in the virtual assistant space, like Apple, Google, and Amazon. Cortana has fallen behind those competitors as Microsoft doubles down on enterprise technology.

“As we make this shift toward a transformational AI-powered assistant experience in Microsoft 365, we need to adjust our focus areas of innovation and development to give our customers assistance where they need it most,” Microsoft said in its announcement. “As a result, we are making changes to some U.S. consumer-centric features and functionalities with lower usage.”

Microsoft has largely withdrawn from the smartphone operating system market, leaving Cortana without a native mobile platform to compete with Siri and Google Assistant. The company also doesn’t have the advantage that Amazon enjoys with its Echo smart speakers, which work in conjunction with the Alexa app on smartphones

The company is encouraging users to manage email, calendars, and other tools using “new productivity-focused experiences” such as Cortana on Windows 10 and the virtual assistant’s integrations into Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

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Microsoft to sunset Cortana on iOS and Android in pivot to ‘productivity-focused’ assistant

(Microsoft Image)

Microsoft will shut down Cortana on a wide range of devices, reflecting the challenge for third-party voice assistants attempting to compete with built-in programs like Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

The company announced Friday it will discontinue all third-party Cortana skills on Sept. 7, and in early 2021 the company will stop supporting the Cortana app for iOS and Android devices.

Cortana will no longer be integrated with the Harman Kardon Invoke smart speaker starting in January 2021 as well. Microsoft says it will work with Harman Kardon to create a transition plan for customers, including offering a $50 gift card for each active speaker, with some caveats. In addition, Microsoft will no longer offer Cortana as a built-in voice assistant on the original Surface Headphones.

The decision reflects Microsoft’s focus on business and enterprise technology over consumer offerings. Microsoft will focus on repurposing aspects of Cortana for its suite of productivity products rather than attempting to compete on consumer devices with leaders in the virtual assistant space, like Apple, Google, and Amazon. Cortana has fallen behind those competitors as Microsoft doubles down on enterprise technology.

“As we make this shift toward a transformational AI-powered assistant experience in Microsoft 365, we need to adjust our focus areas of innovation and development to give our customers assistance where they need it most,” Microsoft said in its announcement. “As a result, we are making changes to some U.S. consumer-centric features and functionalities with lower usage.”

Microsoft has largely withdrawn from the smartphone operating system market, leaving Cortana without a native mobile platform to compete with Siri and Google Assistant. The company also doesn’t have the advantage that Amazon enjoys with its Echo smart speakers, which work in conjunction with the Alexa app on smartphones

The company is encouraging users to manage email, calendars, and other tools using “new productivity-focused experiences” such as Cortana on Windows 10 and the virtual assistant’s integrations into Microsoft Teams and Outlook.

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Microsoft Surface business surges as upcoming dual-screen Android device surfaces in FCC filings

Revenue in Microsoft’s Surface hardware business jumped 28% to more than $1.7 billion in the quarter ended June 30, its biggest result ever outside the holidays.

The increase was due to higher demand for Surface laptops, tablets and other devices due to stay-at-home orders in the pandemic, the company said. Pent-up demand from previous supply chain bottlenecks also may have played a role in the larger-than-expected Surface revenue increase in Microsoft’s fiscal fourth quarter.

“I believe Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to Surface and this is demonstrated in a much expanded lineup and features specifically for regulated industries,” said analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy. “In Q3, I believe Microsoft could have shipped a lot more of the new Surface lineup but it couldn’t get enough supply out of Asia. Q4 was quite different and I think represents more of the future growth demand curve.”

The surge comes amid reports that Microsoft’s upcoming Surface Duo device could be released sometime this summer. An apparent filing for the dual-screen Android device was spotted in Federal Communication Commission records this week in another possible sign that it’s ahead of schedule.

Microsoft executives including Chief Product Officer Panos Panay have been offering glimpses of the Surface Duo device on social media in recent weeks.

Fresh air and coffee to start the day. pic.twitter.com/TJRWDOcbfH

— Panos Panay (@panos_panay) July 16, 2020

The company previously delayed the release of the larger dual-screen Surface Neo device, running Windows 10X. Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet reported this week that the new version of the operating system is now slated for release in 2021, with the Neo and other dual-screen devices pushed to 2020 as a result.

In its fourth quarter results, Microsoft also saw a boost from stay-at-home orders in its productivity, cloud and gaming businesses, including subscription versions of Microsoft Office, and the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

Revenue from Xbox content and services was up 64% for the quarter, helping to drive an overall 13% increase in Microsoft revenue, to $38 billion for the quarter.

Join the conversation along with Intel, Google Cloud, and key technology partner Appsbroker as they share game-changing results from customers, like RiverMeadow and ClimaCell, who have deployed on Google Cloud instances and VMWare bare metal.

The session, presented by Intel and Google Cloud, will take place Thursday, July 30th at 8:00 a.m. (PST).

Register today

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