So far its been a big 24 hours for Microsoft as the tech giant seen itself buy Nokia’s mobile phone division to solidify Windows Phone. Now the Redmond-based software titan plans on doing something pretty cool for customers of its most popular products. Mr. Softy has inked a deal with ESPN and the NFL to bring interactive applications to its upcoming Xbox One game console and current Surface tablets out on the market.
This new deal brings an ESPN app to the Xbox One that gives users a designed personalized experience, which offers conferences or teams to follow while also having clips, highlights, and news shown when logged-in. A stream showing the top news is among the features available.
Of course, the Kinect will play a part to how this works, as it helps link to individual user profiles identified through the Kinect sensor. The app will follow the same formula every set-top-box uses, and that’s live streaming of all ESPN channels including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN News, ESPN Deportes all need a cable subscription. Lame.
As for the NFL experience, Microsoft has a few things planned. The NFL is bringing an app that’ll give users access to news and video clips from NFL.com and NFL Network. NFL Redzone is also onboard, bringing Sunday games (paid-subscription). The best feature the NFL app will have is the ability for folks to change their Fantasy lineups from the app on the Xbox One.
Lastly, Microsoft and the NFL will join up to help make better injury awareness for teams. The idea is to improve treatment of player injuries during games. So to do this, team physicians will be equipped with Surface tablets loaded with software that allow trainers to keep real-time data on players in case of injury or a medical emergency on the field. All of a player’s health data will be stored on this special application.
The ESPN deal is expected, but the NFL venture is an interesting one. For weeks we’ve been hearing rumors on who will pick up the NFL Sunday Ticket once DirectTV’s contract runs out next season. It wouldn’t at all surprise us if Microsoft snags Sunday Ticket as exclusive for the Xbox seeing how cozy the two are becoming with another.
[via TC]