ESPN3 will launch a new Xbox app next month that takes sports TV to a new level with dual-screen games, real-time scoreboards and instant replay.
ESPN3 allows authenticated Xbox Live users (you have to subscribe to a participating cable TV/internet service) to watch a variety of live games, such as the Women’s World Cup Final and NCAA college football. I’m a big fan of the old app, which suddenly looks old school when compared to the new experience.
Gizmodo scored a beta demo showing it in action. The dual-screen approach allows viewers to watch two games in 720p side-by-side at the same time. Or watch an instant replay on one side while the live game continues in the other. Or, punch up a real-time scoreboard — click an ongoing game’s score to watch it live. For Kinect users, hand and voice control works, as well.
There’s also a “mini guide” that scrolls along the bottom of the screen, combining games and scores. “It’s not only a guide to what’s on, it’s a guide to what’s happening,” explains Gizmodo. Each tile is a “live tile,” showing the score and time left in a game. The new app also serves up recommended and popular clips, laying the groundwork for some social TV features that could come in later updates.
The revamped app will push to Xbox Live subscribers on August 25th.