Microsoft is adding multitasking to the Achievements app and more select features in the July Xbox One Update that’ll begin rolling out sometime next month, presumably.
Microsoft talked at length about the July Xbox One Update this past week at its Xbox Wire news blog. Arguably the biggest feature is that updated Achievements app. Following the update users will be able to see just how far they’re from earning achievement apps in the game they’re playing by simply saying “Xbox, snap Achievements.” They’ll also be able to quickly search the internet for help by selecting a help option that appears in the new Achievements app while snapped. Immediately, the Xbox One’s Internet Explorer app will open with a search query for tips on the game the user is playing.
All told, it’s a nifty idea, one that makes the Achievements app infinitely more useful for just about every type of gamer.
Following the July Xbox One update users will also find that tapping the Xbox logo on the Xbox One controller will immediately open the Snap multitasking menu. Microsoft doesn’t say why it’s added this new shortcut, but presumably, it’s to make multitasking without voice commands easier. That’s key since the $399 Xbox One went on sale last Monday. It doesn’t include a Kinect 2 sensor.
Finally, there are a few other changes for Xbox One users to get excited about. All Xbox Live users will be able to “like” the status updates from other users through the Xbox One SmartGlass companion app. Microsoft also says it’s adding the option for content providers and game makers to create digital bundles in the future. That sounds eerily like Microsoft is trying to imitate the bundles that have made the Steam PC gaming service so popular with users, but only time will tell.
The July Xbox One Update will likely began rolling out in July as the name suggests. In the meantime, it’s likely that Xbox One owners who joined the console’s Update Preview Program will see these new changes surface on their console any day now.
