Microsoft is removing the feature that allowed users to stream over-the-air TV from a USB antenna to the Xbox app on iOS and Android. Microsoft sent the following message to Reddit user icecreamman37 confirming the removal: “You may have streamed TV content using a USB TV tuner from your Xbox console to the Xbox app. In 30 days, the Xbox app on iOS and Android will no longer support this functionality. You will still be able to watch TV content on your Xbox One console and via streaming to the Xbox app on Windows 10.” If you are unfamiliar with the feature, is was released in 2015. It allows users to receive over-the-air antenna TV signals. It is worth noting the feature was also available for Windows 10 on PC. Microsoft seemed to be serious about this tool as it shipped a Digital TV Tuner in Europe.
Changing Console
Clearly not enough users adopted the ability on Xbox One. This is one of those situations where we always lament a decrease in functionality, but this is admittedly a feature that won’t be missed. This also represents Microsoft moving further away from its media features of the Xbox One. Arguably the biggest casualty during the push back towards a gaming focus has been Kinect. Originally forced upon users as a bundle with the console, Kinect was eventually sold separately. In 2017, Microsoft announced it was ceasing production of Kinect, ending an experiment that promised much but failed to expand beyond that promise.
