Windows Phone Xbox companion app now available to download

By Tom Warren, on 7th Dec 11 10:21 pm with 17 Comments

Xbox companion app for Windows Phone

Microsoft released its Xbox companion app on Wednesday.

The free application is now available for Windows Phones and features an easy way to control an Xbox console with a Windows Phone. The app is available for free to Windows Phone users and will let owners find and control content from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Xbox 360.

  • Finding content - Xbox companion provides access to the Xbox LIVE Marketplace of games, movies, music and TV shows.
  • Learn more about your content – The Xbox companion app will provide information and related details about specific content on the Xbox 360. If an Xbox owner is listening to a song then Windows Phone users can simply bring up information on the song name, artist and albums etc.
  • Control and play - The Xbox companion app includes a controller mode that allows Windows Phone users to navigate the Xbox dashboard or control video and music playback.

Microsoft’s companion app is part of a number of new integrated experiences between Windows Phone 7.5 and the new Xbox dashboard. The software giant claims the control mode for Windows Phone is “virtually instantaneous,” allowing users to use their phone as a TV remote. The app can only be used to control video content at this time. Check out our hands on below.

You can download the app from the Windows Phone Marketplace here.

  • Anonymous

    It doesn’t seem to do much yet but it’s a start

  • BucksterMcgee

    Yeah I have to say it’s pretty damn awesome. Fast and powerful. There are of course things that could be imrpoved down the road, but as it is now it’s wonderful.

  • Ashley Walker

    I was hoping for the ability to view my media that was stored on a PC through Windows Media Center or to be able to stream from TVersity (or others), maybe in a future update.

  • http://circuitsoft.tumblr.com CircuitSoft

    They should make an option to go to controllor mode so the screen is a controller.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VGQMRQOQYPZHFOGRIZ53F646KU Not ice_fusion.

      Do you mean “look” like a controller? That would be kind of nice. The current implementation of the arrows with the “A” in the middle and the X, B, Y buttons below everything is very strange.

  • Guest

    I don’t seem to be able to download it in Canada

    • Anonymous

      Try again, it’s here in Canada!

  • trashoner

    it wont install on my samsung focus here in USA.

    Error code: c101abb9

    from the market place

    • BadManDuke

      Are you trying to download it from the web or from Zune?

    • trashoner

      thanks for trying to help. I got this error straight from the phone’s marketplace. I tried one last time and then just left it on my download list and now when I turned on the phone it was already there and installed.

    • BadManDuke

      NP. When I first noticed it was available, it was doing the same thing for me. After my second try, it went right through.

      Seems like they are still working out the bug.

    • trashoner

      her is the xbox update out yet? just wondering still at work

    • BadManDuke

      Yes. Both the new dashboard and Windows Phone companion app are now available.

    • trashoner

      but I still have the menu section that read preview release. I was a beta tester, I hope this doesn’t cause a bug. I think it did. can you watch youtube yet?

    • BadManDuke

      Go to the Microsoft Connect website for more detail. That is normal. (more testing inbound)

      Youtube will come soon.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002077682817 Matt Valentine

    I installed on my phone and it works great. Only problem is, I cannot control videos from regular video player streaming from my PC because video controls don’t popup. It only works with Zune marketplace player.

  • Anonymous

    Great app.