Microsoft has decided to release Windows 10 without Media Center. The company is reportedly discontinuing the feature that first appeared in 2002 with Windows XP.
Microsoft executives confirmed at BUILD 2015 that Windows Media Center will no longer be part of Windows, ZDNet reports.
Windows Media Center first appeared 13 years ago with Windows XP and offered remote control of media playback. It was then continuously updated for subsequent versions of Windows, and Microsoft released the last full version in 2009 for Windows 7 users.
The Windows Media Center development team split after its 2009 release, and for Windows 8, Microsoft released an add-on that had the same functionality as Windows 7's Media Center. The add-on did not add any new features, any UI improvements, and did not improve performance. Microsoft has been clear since then that Windows Media Center was not part of its future plans.
And finally with Windows 10, the company is finally retiring the software, probably because the new operating system includes several advanced features and tools that provide similar functionality.
According to Microsoft, very few people continue to use Windows Media Center on their computers.
Windows 8 development lead Steven Sinofsky (who resigned shortly after the new operating system was released in late 2012) revealed that development of a new version of Media Center for Windows 8 was canceled due to declining consumer interest.
With Windows 10, Microsoft doesn't seem to provide a dedicated Media Center replacement app, but instead urges users to purchase the Xbox which provides similar functionality.
The Xbox One, which will run Windows 10, looks set to become Microsoft's primary device, not just for gaming, but also for watching videos and TV shows. It comes with Blu-ray playback, OneGuide to combine live TV with apps running on the console, and with motion control and the help of Kinect, it could become the company's primary device.
