The latest system update for Xbox One and the Xbox app starts rolling out today, bringing Cortana on Xbox One, Background Music through music apps, PC games to Xbox Live, and more.
These updates will be available on the new Xbox One S when the 2TB launch edition becomes available on August 2 for $399. The update will also be ready for the 1TB and 500GB Xbox One S models later in the month, starting at $299.
Here are some highlights of the newest features on Xbox One and the Xbox app:
Xbox One
- Background Music: The update brings the ability for the feature of Background Music, which lets you listen to your favorite music in the background while gaming on Xbox One. The Pandora app, launching soon, is the first of many partners who will support Background Music, with Groove Music, iHeartRadio and other apps coming later.
- Cortana on Xbox One: Cortana is now available on Xbox One in the U.S. and U.K. With Cortana, gamers can expect more from voice commands on Xbox. In addition to more commands and accuracy with natural language and text dictation, Cortana provides the ability to use a headset or Kinect. You’ll be able to use Cortana to find new games, see what your friends are up to, start a party, accomplish common tasks, turn on your Xbox One if you’re using Kinect, and more.
- Improved Game Collection: The updated Game Collection interface makes it faster to find and launch games. Now you’ll be able to sort, manage and see more of your Game Collection easily, quickly access your own 'Ready to Install' tab, update your games or apps using the new 'Updates' tab, and get more information about titles in your queue.
- Language Region Independence: Microsoft has enabled Language Region Independence to give gamers even more control over their Xbox experience. Language Region Independence allows you to choose any supported language on Xbox One, regardless of the location. For example, if you’re in the U.S. and move to Germany, you can now keep your language set to English on Xbox One and enjoy your experiences in English.
- Xbox and Windows Store convergence: On Xbox One, Microsoft has streamlined the shopping experience to help you find the games you love faster. You’ll be able to filter search results by genre, read reviews written by fellow gamers – including those voted "most helpful" by the Xbox Live community - recognize what titles are on sale with strikethrough pricing in lists, and more.
- On the Windows Store, Microsoft is adding support so gamers can soon browse and purchase bundles, episodic games, season passes, virtual currency and other game add-ons and DLC. You can also redeem Xbox tokens, subscriptions, games or DLC through the Windows Store. And developers can make their games available for pre-order/pre-download so you can buy a game any time before it launches, play it right when it comes out, and you won’t be billed for your purchase until shortly before the title launches. This fall, the store integration makes Xbox Play Anywhere possible, so when you buy supported digital games, you can play on both Windows 10 and Xbox One at no extra cost.
- Facebook Friend Finder: Now on the Xbox One, connect your Facebook account to your Xbox Live account to find your Xbox playing Facebook Friends.
- Improved sharing on Xbox One: It's now easier to share your screenshots, GameDVR clips, and achievements on Xbox One. Gamers can now share their most epic clips and screenshots with the community right from home.
Xbox app and Windows 10 PC gaming
- Top Windows 10 PC games show up on Xbox Live: Microsoft is bringing the top Windows 10 PC games like League of Legends and XCOM 2 together with the Xbox Live community. Meaning, your favorite Windows 10 PC games will have their own Game Hubs on Xbox Live. Whether you’re on your PC, Xbox One, or mobile phone, you’ll be able to see what PC games your friends are playing, share your own PC gaming clips and screenshots with the community, and message your friends on Xbox Live. On both Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, you'll also be able to party chat with your friends no matter what they’re doing.
- 60 fps game clip recording with the Game Bar: Using the new “Very High” video quality setting in the Xbox app, you will be able to record your game clips in up to 60 frames per second from the Game Bar (Windows + G) once the Windows 10 Anniversary Update starts to roll out on Aug. 2.
- Windows Game Bar improved full-screen support: One of the most common requests Microsoft has been seeing for the Windows 10 GameDVR feature is the ability to use the Windows Game Bar with more games running in full-screen. The company has added support for six additional games in full-screen mode with Windows Game Bar: League of Legends, World of Warcraft, DOTA 2, Battlefield 4, Counterstrike: Global Offensive, and Diablo III. With those games, once the Windows 10 Anniversary Update starts to roll out on Aug. 2, you’ll be able to use Windows + G to bring up the Windows Game Bar when the game is running full-screen.
Xbox app on mobile
Xbox app on iOS and Android: The Xbox app is now available on iOS and Android.