Microsoft is rolling out a new Xbox One update to members of the preview program. This update finally brings Microsoft’s digital personal assistant Cortana to the Xbox One. It was originally planned to release Cortana for Xbox One last year but the release was delayed, presumably, because the company thought it better to bundle the feature with the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
The update is rolling out now to the Xbox Preview members, and in the coming weeks, it will also be rolled out to the Xbox app (beta) on Windows 10. New features in this release will become available to preview members in waves.
Cortana is undoubtedly the biggest addition here. It will land on Xbox One for preview members in the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain. Microsoft promises that gamers will find the Cortana experience to be similar to what it is on other Windows 10 devices.
It will be possible to use Cortana to find new games, see what friends are up to, start a party, turn on the Xbox One if a Kinect is hooked up, and much more. Simply say “Hey Cortana” to access it.
The Game Collection interface has also been improved in this update to make it faster and easier to find and launch games. Facebook Friend Finder expands from the Xbox app to Xbox One, providing owners with an easy way to find and add their Facebook friends.
There are a host of other improvements and minor features that are included in this update. It’s only going to be available to preview members for now, but it will arrive next month for everybody when the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is released.