The Xbox update for the summer season is now live and bringing lots of neat little features:
And the following for Xbox related apps:
- Cortana - The Windows 10 voice command service is now available on Xbox One in the UK and US, bringing better accuracy and more commands. It also finally takes away the reliance on Kinect for voice commands, allowing anyone with a headset to navigate their console.
- Background Music - The much-requested feature - which takes away the need to run music in Snap mode - launches alongside the Pandora app, with Groove Music, iHeartRadio and more set to arrive later. Spotify remains a PlayStation-exclusive app, however.
- UI improvements - Both the Games and Apps menu and the Xbox Store are receiving changes, with the former now better laid-out and more information rich, while the latter converges with the Windows Store, adding more search filters, user reviews and new channels. The Store merge also allows for Xbox Play Anywhere to work.
- Language region independence - Xbox One no longer chooses a language based on the region you're in, allowing those who move country to keep their spoken tongue intact. Good!
- Facebook integration - You can now link your Gamertag with your Facebook account, allowing you to easily add friends who have done the same.
- Improved sharing - Sharing improved for screenshots, videos and achievements.
And the following for Xbox related apps:
- 60 FPS clip recording - The Windows 10 Xbox app's "Very High" video quality setting now records clips at 60 frames per second.
- New Game Hubs - The most popular Windows 10 PC games (Xbox Wire lists League of Legends and XCOM 2 as examples) will now have Xbox app Game hubs, meaning friends can see you're playing them, as well as allowing for clip sharing and Xbox messaging.
- Improved Game Bar full-screen support - League of Legends, World of Warcraft, DOTA 2, Battlefield 4, Counter-Strike: GO and Diablo 3 will now support the Windows Game Bar while running in full-screen mode.
- iOS and Android support - The Xbox App is now available on all major phone operating systems.