Next-generation Xbox will reportedly take over TVs with deep set-top box integration

It’s becoming clear that Microsoft (MSFT) doesn’t want its next-generation Xbox to be just a gaming console. Unnamed sources have told The Verge that Microsoft will “introduce a feature that lets its next-generation console take over a TV and set-top box in a similar way to Google TV” that “will work by taking a cable box signal and passing it through to the Xbox via HDMI, allowing Microsoft’s console to overlay a UI and features on top of an existing TV channel.” Since Google’s (GOOG) Google TV platform has largely been a dud so far, it will be interesting to see what Microsoft plans to make the Xbox appeal more to consumers who are primarily interested in enhancing their TV experience. The Verge’s sources claim that the console “will go a step further than Google’s TV implementation thanks to Microsoft’s partnerships with content providers,” although it’s not clear what this next step entails.