The next big Xbox One update of 2018 is coming soon, and now Microsoft has announced what to expect from it. One of the biggest new features is support for 1440p resolution for games and media. 1440p, also known as 2560×1440, has more than 1.5 million more pixels than 1080p, sitting between 1080p and 4K. Of course, you will need a supported TV to see the benefits.
Also new in the update are new audio options. If you like to listen to music while you play games, you can now balance game audio against background music on Spotify or other services. All of this is available from within the Guide. Additionally, Xbox One now supports “spatial audio” for system sounds. Microsoft said it “completely revamped” the architecture so that if you have a surround sound system, “audio cues from your surround sound system will match the actions you see on-screen.”
Additionally, the new Xbox One update adds more functionality for Mixer, Microsoft’s interactive live-streaming service. In a pretty cool move, you can now virtually “share” your Xbox One controller with a viewer who is watching on Mixer.com. What this means is the viewer can take control of a game by way of an on-screen gamepad, or alternatively actually plugging in a controller to their PC. The streamer and viewer can work together to play a game, or the viewer can grief the main player which we’re sure will lead to some hilarious hijinks. You can see an animated GIF of the new functionality above, as made by Microsoft.
The Spring Xbox One update also updates the Microsoft Edge internet browser to give it a more “modern” look. Among other things, Microsoft is promising improvements to the Favorites and History tabs, with the overall goal being to make the browsing experience better for a controller. Additionally, you can now download and upload files like pictures, music, and videos from Microsoft Edge on Xbox One. Your downloaded files are house in the File Explorer app.
For Xbox One Club admins, this new update allows you to filter by reputation, Gamerscore, and recommendations from other Club members. The example Microsoft provided was that if you’re looking for an experienced PUBG player to join your Club, you can set the criteria to only consider people who have more than 200 hours logged, or whatever you decide. Additionally, the Club “feeds” are being updated to allow you to only show things like “what’s hot” and “top posts.” On top of that, Microsoft is now allowing you to disable comments on content shown in Clubs, Game Hubs, and Community tabs. Finally, Microsoft is rolling out open tournaments with this app, which means you no longer have to be a Club member to start or join a tournament.
The new Spring Xbox One update is available now to players in the Xbox Insider Alpha Ring. It will roll out to other testers later, while a public release will follow at a later period.
Go to the Xbox Wire to see a full rundown of what’s new in the Spring Xbox One update.
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