Phil Spencer took to the stage at the Microsoft Build Developers Conference 2016 in San Francisco to present some more features making their way to the Xbox One console in the near future including, Cortana integration and the much needed Background Music option.
New Features Coming to Xbox One:
New UWP updates. Phil highlighted that PC game developers will have access to a fully open ecosystem with UWP, with multiple paths provided to deliver both Win32 games as well as UWP titles, the ability to distribute their title in any store desired as well as more predictable performance for features such as modding, overlays, multiple GPUs, and more.
Xbox Dev Mode. Today we announced Xbox Dev Mode, which transforms any retail Xbox One into a dev kit, available today in preview and coming to all Xbox One owners with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer. Developers of all shapes and sizes will be able to use Xbox Dev Mode to build and test UWP apps and games on their retail Xbox One console. Because Dev Mode is in a preview environment today, we recommend only experienced developers engage with Dev Mode at this time.
Gaming and the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. With the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update, we will be enabling even more gaming features across Xbox One and Windows 10. More features will be unveiled in the coming months but developers and gamers can expect to see:
Xbox and Windows Store convergence. The best of the Xbox Store comes together with the best of the Windows Store beginning this summer with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. The store will work across all devices in the ecosystem and provide developers more choice in how and where they deliver their content and monetize their customers. New support will include features that game developers have come to expect and require from Xbox One into the Windows Store including support for bundles, season passes, pre-orders and more.
Cortana on Xbox One. When Cortana arrives on Xbox One with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, gamers can expect the familiar Cortana experience found on other Windows 10 devices. Cortana will get smarter over time to become your personal gaming assistant and help you find great new games, new challenges or help you with tips and tricks. More specific details to come.
Background Music. The Windows 10 Anniversary Update lays the foundation for most requested fan features like background music. Background music is the ability to listen to music from Xbox One apps in the background while you’re doing another activity on the console. This means your music will be played without the app being in Snap mode.
