It all started with the removal of the “snap” function, allowing players to snap content to the side of another app or game. The next feature to be dropped will be USB TV Streaming to the Xbox app on iOS or Android. Microsoft is sending messages to users of USB TV Streaming to warn them that the feature will be removed in just 30 days’ time.
Sad news for cord-cutters who use their Xbox to stream Over The Air TV (OTA) to Android or iOS. Last week Microsoft started contacting Xbox owners who used this feature to notify them that they would soon lose access to live streaming from their antenna to other devices using their Xbox.
As Microsoft stated, users might 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.”
With the removal of this feature, some Xbox users are raising concerns about the number of features being removed, while others are worried about the HDMI-IN feature’s future for the next Xbox console, which allows another HDMI-enabled device to pass video through to the Xbox.
It’s unclear why Microsoft took this decision, but it seems like the company wants to limit availability, potentially with a lack of usage. It is disappointing that the beloved features are being removed, especially when used.
