The Xbox One summer update has begun to roll out to users this weekend. This update may take a few days as not everyone will receive the prompt to update immediately. The summer update includes two big additions: Background Music and Cortana.
As its name implies, Background Music allows users to play games while listening to music. It will work with Pandora out of the gate, and support for iHeartRadio and Groove Music. Spotify, however, will not work; they have an exclusive agreement with Sony.
Cortana is the virtual assistant that Windows 10 users have already been introduced to. She will allow users to execute voice commands, perform searches, and join multiplayer sessions with greater clarity. It will work with a headset microphone connected to a controller or the Kinect microphone.
Another addition included in the summer update is an improved Game Collection. This feature improves how users view and sort their installed games. It also adds “Update” and “Install” tabs to aid users in seeing which games need either.
A highly requested feature that is added to the Xbox One summer update is language independence. This will allow users to set their console’s language independent of what country they are in. For example, it will be possible to set English as a language even if the user’s console is in Japan. Other additions include Facebook linking to find friends, as well as streamlined screenshot and video sharing.
Other features that were announced during E3, like Clubs, Looking for Group, and the Arena, will be included with an update during the holidays.
