Microsoft Considering Smaller Xbox One as Potential Apple TV Rival

Microsoft may be gearing up to launch a new Xbox One gaming console in 2016, with a download-only device that would be noticeably smaller than the current Xbox One and enter the market as a potential rival to the new Apple TV. According to a report from Petri IT Knowledgebase (via Business Insider), the console would also see a price cut to match the current market of streaming-centric devices.
xbox one apple tv rival Keeping with the Xbox brand, the slimmer Xbox One would be able to download games from the Windows Store, but the power restraints of a smaller box would likely prevent access to the full Xbox games store. This casual-leaning app marketplace is another category in which the Xbox would compete directly with the new Apple TV, which introduced a similar App Store for the first time on Apple's living room device when it launched in October. The report gave no mention as to whether the Siri-like Kinect would be integrated as well.

Microsoft is said to be looking at a late 2016 launch for the new Xbox One, which would be sold in concert with current models akin to the slimmed down Xbox 360 S that launched five years after the original 360. The company has introduced design refreshes and low-tier prices on its gaming consoles in the past: as low as $199 for the 256MB Xbox 360 Arcade and 4GB Xbox 360 E. Although the Xbox One has seen multiple price cuts, it's yet to have a major hardware overhaul.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

Tuesday April 1, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the Apple Card is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs. Both American Express and Visa are vying to replace Mastercard as Apple's card services provider, while...
iOS 18

Apple Seeds First Beta of iOS 18.5 to Developers

Wednesday April 2, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming just two days after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. We don't yet know what Apple is introducing in the iOS 18.5...

Top Rated Comments

macduke Avatar
121 months ago
I didn't realise that I was at WinRumors
From time to time, MacRumors reports on Apple's competitors. The Apple TV is now a gaming platform with full controller support. The Xbox One is now a fully-featured media platform. They're competition. MacRumors has reported on Microsoft for many years, as well as Samsung, Google, Dropbox, and many other competitors. You're not new here, you should know this.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
levitynyc Avatar
121 months ago
I'll walk naked to Cupertino if this happens.

Not a chance.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
themoose Avatar
121 months ago
I didn't realise that I was at WinRumors
it would be MicRumors

also, the benefit to a smaller xbox "streamer" would be that if you have a regular xbox one you could potentially stream regular games to the cheaper version on a different tv the way you can to windows 10. could have a ton of potential for gamers and separate it from the competition (aka the apple tv hence the relevance for this article on this website).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
121 months ago
I didn't realise that I was at WinRumors
The best Apple customer is the one that doesn't at least know what the others are doing.

Tim and Co. love that sort of customers.

As to the potential question of why we need this news here instead of all of us just looking at a second news outlet and everyone commenting on news there...
Consider the context of comparing the competitor to the brand we're all here for and having another kind of audience talk about the value propositions.

I think there's much to be gained from making frequent comparisons between Apple and competitors, nowadays especially as they really are currently just freewheeling from one half-ambitious product to the next one.
That doesn't mean they don't generate record sales, just like in the 1990's when their downwards trend had been preceded by record sales and profits.

And maybe all of this will continue to work and the crowd that cares is in the vast minority now.
The one that actually does check Apple's performance and data sheets and whatever other aspects that might make them wonder if the value proposition is still as high as ever...
Sure, this could continue for much longer, but when I think of an Apple in demise I don't particularly worry too much about their sales, I couldn't care less being a customer without shares in Apple, what I do worry about is a) value b) choice of products and c) how many of my requirements for a device I'm in the market for they meet. So yeah, if someone sold a trillion pieces of anything I have no use for on my terms, it means jack all.

Glassed Silver:mac
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
121 months ago
More than likely it wouldn't be primarily for gaming but more importantly to compete with Apple, Amazon and Google as a movie/tv streaming box. So far there is no living-room streaming device for Microsofts video service for people who are not interested in big and noisy game consoles.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
121 months ago
The last time Microsoft overlooked Apple entering a market they were in, they got wrecked. However unlikely that seems to be here, it's smart for them to make a move like this. Sony has been dominating them in the current generation, so they can't afford to start getting undercut by Apple as well. Furthermore, the Nintendo NX is rumored to be coming, and some rumors say that it will be a smaller box that somehow relies on cloud computing or connecting multiple devices together to increase graphics power. This space is going to be really interesting over the coming years. I look forward to increased competition.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)