Pandora has launched a new native app that brings the online radio service to Microsoft’s Xbox One. The app comes with voice and gesture controls through the Kinect system. According to GigaOm, listeners can use the Kinect to search, skip songs, and give ratings.
The Xbox One is one of the most recent gaming hardware launches. The rival PlayStation 4 from Sony has been outselling it, but this type of integration with media outside of video games is a big distinction for the Microsoft machine. Think of it as a set-top box as much as a gaming console. Pandora’s choice to go with Xbox for its first foray into consoles was echoed by Vevo, which has also announced a native app for that ecosystem. Plus, Microsoft already has the Xbox Music service, which recently saw some revamping.