New Smartglass app to take over the living room

The latest version of Microsoft’s second screen app could put total multimedia control at the user’s fingertips.

The latest version of Microsoft's second screen app could put total multimedia control at the user's fingertips.

Unveiled alongside Microsoft's new games console, the Xbox One, on Tuesday night, Smartglass is compatible with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets plus the growing ecosystem of Windows mobile devices, from Nokia's Lumia phones to the company's own Surface RT and Surface Pro tablet hybrids.

The buzz around the latest version of the app is due to the fact that it will be able to do so much more than turn a smartphone into a second gaming screen or games controller, it will also turn said device into a truly universal remote controller.

As well as its processing power and other hardware specs, one of the real standout features of the third generation of Microsoft's XBox is its total integration with other devices. Through its myriad ports and wireless connections, it can link not just to a TV and other computers, but to satellite receivers and set-top boxes, placing it in the very center of the living room, and, with Smartglass installed, a tablet or smartphone now has total control over everything to which the Xbox is connected.

Full details of the new app and its capabilities are expected to be revealed at this year's E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 11 in Los Angeles.