Will Apple TV Overtake Microsoft’s Xbox?

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) TV currently doesn’t do much more than stream movies and music, but Xbox founder Nat Brown believes it has the potential to vastly surpass Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Xbox, Sony’s (NYSE:SNE) Playstation, and Nintendo’s Wii U. He further criticizes Microsoft’s cumbersome development and distribution process for indie game developers.

Brown wrote in a recent blog post: “Apple, if it chooses to do so, will simply kill Playstation, Wii U and Xbox by introducing an open 30%-cut app/game ecosystem for Apple TV. I already make a lot of money on iOS — I will be the first to write apps for Apple TV when I can, and I know I’ll make money. I would for Xbox if I could and knew I would make money.”

And how best to transform Apple TV into a gaming platform? There are a variety of options, according to Brown. Players could stream games over Airplay or actually configure the hardware for more power. “Maybe a ‘console-capable’ Apple TV isn’t $99,” Brown admits, “maybe it’s $199, and add another $79 for a controller. The current numbers already say a lot, even with Apple TV not already an open console: 5.3 million sold units in 2012, 90 percent year-over-year growth — vs. Xbox 360 — about 9 million units in 2012, 60 percent year-over-year decline.”

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