Microsoft’s Xbox One console is getting some new features and extras soon including the option for users to stream television shows and movies directly from their Xbox One to a mobile device equipped with the Xbox One Digital TV Tuner and a revamped media player.
In future Xbox One updates Microsoft is adding what it’s calling Snap Center. Strange moniker aside, it’s described as a way for Xbox One owners to quickly access messages, parties, friends and achievements. We don’t yet know what it looks like, but it sounds an awful lot like the Guide that dominates the Xbox 360 user experience. Threaded messages and that new Friends section that Microsoft began testing earlier this month will also fill out the core Xbox One social experience upgrades.
With the Xbox 360, users are able to load media directly to a flash drive and play it on their console without having to stream it over a network. Following the next update, Xbox One users will be able to do the same. Supported formats will include everything from the 3GP videos created by smartphones, to MPG4, MP3 MPG4 video, Windows Media, AVI and MKV. Microsoft says it still has plans to add DLNA streaming support to this new Media Player app, but it won’t be available immediately.
About that digital TV streaming, according to Xbox Wire, when it launches it won’t allow users here in the United States to stream live television to their smartphones and tablets from their Xbox One console. That’s because Microsoft doesn’t yet have an Xbox One Digital TV Tuner app available in the United States. That being said, American Xbox One TV lovers are getting a bit of love. A new smaller OneGuide will now sit on the bottom of the Live TV app. Users will also be able to have their Xbox One start and go directly to the Live TV app too.
Microsoft says these features will roll out as part of updates “at different stages” in the next few months.
