Microsoft Removes Twitter and Facebook from Xbox 360 Dashboard

So, swings and roundabouts, silver-linings having clouds... Internet Explorer coming to Xbox 360 sounds good. However, it also apparently means that death of other standalone apps.

Two of these apps are apparently Twitter and Facebook's which are being murdered by Microsoft at least from the new Xbox 360 dashboard update.

The Verge has it that, "According to multiple sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans, the move is designed to encourage Xbox users to use the new Internet Explorer browser on the console. Although the removal occurred during a private beta phase of the new Xbox dashboard, Microsoft has started broadly distributing its latest update this week.

Microsoft still lists the apps as available over at its Xbox Live page, but they are no longer listed in the company's app marketplace for Xbox. Existing users who downloaded and installed the apps can still run them on an Xbox 360 console, but new users will no longer be able to access the apps."

Shame! Because, according to our sources Internet Explorer is a bit rubbish on Xbox 360.