Microsoft isn’t neglecting the store with the Summer Update, not only unifying Windows 10 and Xbox One under a single roof, but also introducing a new at-a-glance price display so you don’t have to click-through to see prices and discounts. The update will initially arrive for those beta testers in the “Xbox Preview” program, says Microsoft. On the Xbox One, Microsoft said it should be easier to pick out which games are now on sale, and to decide whether they’re worth buying with more textual reviews written by users. How it’ll differ from Kinect’s current voice controls remains to be seen (a wider array of commands, and better accuracy presumably), but it might give you a reason to plug the camera/mic combo unit back into your console at any rate.
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He notes that more features will be added as the company improves Cortana and the Xbox One’s relationship.
But the features likely to provoke discussion are those that draw the Xbox One and PC gaming experiences closer together. The Game DVR feature is getting a mega upgrade, and tons of other changes are coming. Microsoft promises that gamers will find the Cortana experience to be similar to what it is on other Windows 10 devices. You’ll be able to use Cortana to find great 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. When the update goes live, you will be able to say “Hey Cortana” to get started or navigate to the app itself. With the update applied, you will be able to see more of your Game Collection and have quicker access to the “Ready to Install” tab.
Improved sharing on Xbox One: It will be easier to share screenshots, GameDVR clips, and achievements on Xbox One.
With the upcoming update, Microsoft has made it easy for you to share your Online Achievements, video clips, and screenshots with the online community.
Updated GameDVR management: You can now manage your captures straight from your profile. Now you’ll be able to share, start your own uploads, and see progress in the queue.
Using the “Very High” quality setting in Xbox App, you will now be able to record your game clips in up to 60 Frames per Second – in addition to 30 Frames per Second – from the Game Bar by pressing Windows + G.
Share to Twitter from Xbox app: In the Xbox app, you’ll be able to share game clips and screenshots from Xbox Live to Twitter through the sharing options on each capture.
The Game Bar also allows you to record clips while the game is maximized, in full-screen mode.
As Microsoft begins rolling out some of its Anniversary Update features to Windows 10 users, it’s also doing so with the Xbox One: adding Cortana, and enhancing how game clips can be captured, edited, and shared.
PC gaming gets a nod too – while you won’t be able to play PC games on your Xbox console (yet, anyway) PC games will get their own Game Hub in the dashboard.
Being able to choose what’s posted to your Activity Feed across Xbox One and the Xbox app is a big fan-requested feature. However, you’ll also be able to do things like get search results from Bing or get info on nearby restaurants, reports Engadget. We’ve also added several new channels to help you discover the content you love even faster.
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The digital assistant will be available to Preview testers in the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Germany and Spain first, the company notes, as the update is rolling out in waves instead of all at once.
