Xbox One will be getting a brand new user interface this November. The UI overhaul consists of a faster interface built on Windows 10, backward compatibility with Xbox 360 games, community features, updated OneGuide for TV and video content and much more.
Microsoft will be rolling out the update to select Preview members to start with, before the public release in November. Starting from Preview members who have submitted the most feedback in the past, the release will roll out to more members down the road, with more and more features being added over time.
The reason is to receive feedback, fix bugs and polish the experience before the public release. Preview members will be getting invites via Xbox Live messages. Major Nelson provides more details:
*If you’re a Preview member, you’ll get an invitation sent to you in an Xbox Live message.
*From the invitation, launch the Xbox Preview Dashboard and select the registration option.
*You can then opt-in by selecting “Preview – New Xbox One Experience.”
*If you don’t want to participate in this preview update, you will continue to receive “regular” Preview Program updates going forward. It will not remove you from the Xbox Preview Program altogether.
*Over the next several weeks, new builds will regularly roll out to those who opt in, and our engineering team will work to improve the features and fix any bugs they identify during the preview testing.
Check out the video below of thew new Xbox One Experience in action:
The new Xbox One Experience is an exciting new update and continues on the tradition by Microsoft to update its gaming console interface and features throughout its life cycle. In case you don’t know, the new Xbox One Experience will include the following updates:
- Redesigned home screen, with a focus on recently played games, quick information and social content.
- Windows 10 will be the base for the Xbox update and bring about performance improvements throughout the user interface. DirectX 12 will also come to Xbox One although it is up for debate whether it will bring performance increase for games to the console or not.
- Community is the new section where users can see what’s trending on Xbox Live, see what friends are doing, share or interact with content and much more.
- Guide is getting an update. Users would be able to invite friends and read message right from within the game. Starting a party would be possible by bringing up the slide over menus by double tapping the Xbox button.
- OneGuide is getting revamped with a picture in picture mode, trending content and updated sections to highlight new and interesting content. Similarly, the updated and redesigned Store will also make it easier to find new games, movies, TV shows and apps.
- Cortana will be available on Xbox One. Along with Windows 10 PCs and other devices, Android and soon iPhone, this will be yet another platform where Cortana can assist with different actions and tasks. As you would be logged in to your Microsoft account, the settings for Cortana should sync across to Xbox One as well. This means that if you set a reminder on Cortana from Windows, it will appear on Xbox One too.
