According to reports, and Xbox Live’s Larry Hryb himself, the usage of various “entertainment apps” on the Xbox 360 — such as YouTube — went up 50 percent since the dashboard update back in December last year.

Being marketed as more of a media machine rather than a gaming console, the greater focus on movies and TV streaming services — such as Netflix and the recently announced News Corporation deal which will bring FOX broadcast programming, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News Channel and IGN to Xbox Live — is proof of that.

Hryb also mentioned other stats, such as the amount of “hours of video consumed globally on Xbox Live increased 140 percent from 2010 to 2011,” and that “more than 60 percent of U.S. Xbox Live Gold members used entertainment apps on Xbox Live – for an average of an hour a day each” during December.

He finally ascertained readers that Microsoft is “committed to enhancing and expanding our global entertainment offerings on Xbox Live in 2012,” which is something a man in his position would and should obviously say. Let’s just hope the company is equally committed and up to par with the hype that’s slowly but steadily building up for its next-gen Xbox.

Posted: Jan 19, 2012 10:31 am

Source: http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2012/01/18/xbox-360-entertainment-apps-usage-on-the-rise/