Microsoft's SmartGlass, which lets you control your Xbox 360 console using a smart phone, will debut on Android and iOS devices early next year.
Speaking to Pocket-Lint, the software giant confirmed that its multi-platform answer to the Wii U won't be landing on Apple and Android mobiles until after Christmas.
You may get to experience SmartGlass before then however, because the screen-sharing tech is going to be available on Windows 8 gadgets from launch. That means Windows 8 computers, Windows Phone 8 smart phones and Windows RT tablets like Microsoft Surface will have SmartGlass months ahead of rival platforms.
SmartGlass lets you do things like control movie playback on Xbox using your mobile, or fire your tablet's browsing session onto your TV. If you're hankering to see more features, I've embedded a fairly annoying promotional video below.
SmartGlass will act as a companion gadget when you're playing certain games too -- I'm hoping to see plenty of supported titles, as playing games is still the reason most people own an Xbox in the first place.
By holding SmartGlass back from Android and iOS, Microsoft will be hoping to persuade more shoppers to take a chance on its new Windows 8 devices. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple and Google-powered phones and tablets losing out on features either, when SmartGlass eventually arrives on these platforms in 2013.
I've reached out to Microsoft for more information, and I'll let you know if I hear anything. The PowerPoint-pushing firm's behaviour is forming a pattern, as new streaming service Xbox Music also won't be on iOS and Android until next year.
Are you interested in SmartGlass? Will it become the Xbox's killer feature, or fail to take off? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
Android App 
RSS Feeds 
iPhone App 
Newsletters 
Comments 10
Add your comment
anonymous 23 October, 2012 13:36
Lmao and Nintendo is in trouble again! Just from software Microsoft is upto the same speed as wiiu. Wish Nintendo would sort themselfs out.
anonymous 23 October, 2012 14:23
This is cool. I have a PS3 and I really think Sony have become so lazy recently with new features for the PS3. All we get is a new playstation store lol....I think I'll be getting an xbox 720 when it's released instead of the PS4. I know the ps3 has a free playstation subscription but the paid service on xbox is appealing more to me now.
anonymous 23 October, 2012 14:24
This is good. I have a PS3 and I really think Sony have become so lazy recently with new features for the PS3. All we get is a new playstation store lol....I think I'll be getting an xbox 720 when it's released instead of the PS4. I know the ps3 has a free playstation subscription but the paid service on xbox is appealing more to me now.
anonymous 24 October, 2012 11:48
the one thing MS can do to kill this completely is start to make it a microsoft device centred feature. they have to allow all devices to interact in the same way. Noone buys a phone just because it works better with their console, but people are much more likely to get an xbox than any other media device if their phone they already have (or the multitude of phones that inevitably exist in a family / household) will *all* work with it. If MS start hobbling the non-MS devices then it'll be massive retrograde step
anonymous 24 October, 2012 19:56
Shame that it'll only be available to me next year cos i cant afford anything windows 8 :(
anonymous 26 October, 2012 15:55
Nice try M$ but I'm not buying any of your Windows 8 devices just because of Smart Glass.
anonymous 1 November, 2012 16:24
Microsoft, i am going to download Windows 8, but not because of smartglass because i don`t own an Xbox 360, i still own an Old Xbox system
Dean Shepherd 3 November, 2012 11:58
Smartglass is available now on android was running it on my galaxy s2 last week
weaz1981 4 November, 2012 18:32
Just checked and you need Android 4.0 so won't run on my Desire HD....Can't wait to get my Nexus 4!!
anonymous 29 January, 2013 16:02
Will smartglass let me play my xbox games on my laptop instead of the TV? Is there a windows 8 app that does that? This would be a great feature for when I want to play my games, but someone else is using the TV. I was excited when I first heard about smartglass, but from what I've read it can't do this.