Nintendo's Wii-U console may be the most significant piece of hardware on show at this year's E3, but during their annual Xbox Media Briefing, Microsoft revealed a new application service that looks poised to offer a lot of the similar functionality to pre-existing hardware, wedding PCs and Xbox 360 with tablet and mobile devices running Windows Phone as well as Android and iOS.

Examples given showed video content from the larger-screened device playing on the portable-screened device, as we've already seen quite a bit of with Apple's Airplay and Sony's PS3 and PS Vita Remote Play, but it also went one further to show how it could be used to interact between the devices -- with the demos showing much of the functionality touted by the Wii-U.

Later this year, the power of companion scenarios comes to life in new ways with Xbox SmartGlass. Use your Windows 8-based devices as a second screen with your Xbox 360 for an enhanced game and entertainment experience. Control and interact with your favorite TV shows, movies, music and games by simple flicks, gestures, and pinch and zoom. Start watching on one of your devices and flick it to your TV to keep watching on the big screen. Xbox SmartGlass helps you easily discover more things to do by showing new activities related to what you’re already watching or playing on TV. And now play Xbox 360 games in a new way when you add a phone or tablet as a screen just for you. Xbox SmartGlass will be available on Windows 8-based PCs and devices, as well as other platforms.

Smartglass is expected to launch later this year.