Microsoft has plans to introduce a low-cost alternative to its Xbox console designed to provide access to core entertainment services, according to The Verge. The set-top box is part of a two-SKU (stock keeping unit) strategy for Microsoft's new Xbox hardware, which will be unveiled in 2013. The device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games typically found on a dedicated console. In addition, Microsoft will use a chipset to enable an 'always-on device' that boots up quickly and resumes to provide near-instant access to TV and entertainment services, and the company could opt to combine its core system for the next Xbox with a phone stack to deliver a phone capable of running a full version of Microsoft's Xbox Live services, according to the article.
