Will Microsoft’s TV Efforts Finally Pay Off in 2008?
CNET reports that Microsoft is streamlining its video operations, putting Internet Protocol television, Media Center, and HD DVD groups into one single group, Connected TV group. The new group now falls under Robbie Bach’s Entertainment and Devices division. Enrique Rodriguez, the VP who till recently was running Microsoft IPTV, is now in charge of Connected TV Group, while Peter Barrett, former CTO of the IPTV group is now CTO of Connected TV group.
The idea behind the reorganization, according to News.com, is that since Microsoft is trying to put video on a variety of devices – Zune and Xbox in particular – it makes sense for a single consolidated effort.
On the IPTV front, Microsoft is moving ahead with its effort to allow additional programs to run on set-top boxes using its software. Microsoft said it now has more than two dozen companies working on software for its Mediaroom platform, including ES3 and Emuse Technologies.
Microsoft plans to make a big splash at the CES and announce a whole slew of new video focused products. Similarly in 2008, a lot of Microsoft’s IPTV deployments will graduate from mere press releases to live deployments. Having been highly skeptical of their efforts so far, I am looking forward to next year and see how close Microsoft comes to delivering on their vision/plans.
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“The new group now falls under Robbie Bach…”
Say no more. As everything else under Bach, it’ll be a money pit for MS.
Kontra on December 23rd, 2007 at 6:36 pm - Permalink
Will this be another Robbie Bach homerun? Most likely. The guy has the Midas touch.
coldhitz on December 23rd, 2007 at 8:56 pm - Permalink
@Kontra,
expand on your comment. you might be onto something here.
Om Malik on December 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm - Permalink
Both Microsoft and Sony have had huge opportunities in the past to be the center of the digital home - but their continued push of their own proprietary formats rather than supporting a broad range of standards have made it too hard for media companies, content creators, and others to spend time adopting it. I will take a “wait and see” approach.
Frank Sinton on December 24th, 2007 at 12:21 am - Permalink
Frank,
I agree with you. I think Microsoft has a lot to prove before we can take them seriously. That said, I have seen some of their deployments and the work they have done, which makes me a tad more hopeful for 2008.
Om Malik on December 24th, 2007 at 8:05 am - Permalink
[...] are spending BIG on IPTV (See newteevee, and this and this and gigaom). They are going to make a huge splash and be adopted by a lot of old [...]
JamieG Analysis » Blog Archive » Predictions for digital media for 2008 on January 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pm - Permalink