Get ready, Xbox One is not just about gaming anymore, it is also about apps. Today Microsoft announced the first lineup of Xbox One entertainment and TV apps that will be available on November 22nd or by spring 2014. But don’t get too excited, the first batch doesn’t include Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube app.
In a new Xbox Wire article Microsoft reveals that Xbox One will have a set of apps for each one of the 13 countries the game console will be available at launch. Out of all the countries, the U.S. will have the most apps with a count of 26, while all the other countries ( Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and the U.K.) will have at least 12 apps.
In United States Microsoft will release the following third-party apps for Xbox One on November 22nd:
- Amazon Instant Video
- Crackle
- CWTV
- ESPN
- FOX NOW
- FXNOW
- HBO GO (Coming soon…)
- Hulu Plus
- Machinima
- MUZU TV
- Netflix
- Redbox Instant by Verizon
- Target Ticket
- TED
- The NFL on Xbox One
- Twitch
- Univision Deportes
- Verizon FiOS TV
- VUDU
The app count this far is only 19 and that’s because Microsoft will also include 7 Microsoft-branded apps that will come standard on every country Xbox One is available, they include: Xbox Fitness, Xbox Music, Xbox Video, Internet Explorer, SkyDrive, Skype, and Upload. — Keep in mind that an Xbox Live Gold subscription is require to access the apps on Xbox One.
SEE ALSO: Xbox One 12-minute demo shows real performance on games, apps, and TV
Interesting enough, you may have noticed there are three essential apps missing from the list: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. It’s still no word from Microsoft if we’re ever going to see these apps in the Store. Of course, you can still access these services using Internet Explorer, including YouTube, which it has been a battle for Microsoft as Google keeps trying to block the company from accessing the service, yet it’s still strange we won’t see a dedicated app for each one of these services at launch.
Update: Google already launched a YouTube app for Xbox One.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].