Xbox One Creators Update Brings New Guide, Beam, A Lot More
Microsoft has finally announced the arrival of the Creators Update for Windows 10 and, in line with its goal to have a seamless and similar Windows experience across its devices, it is also making a huge announcement for the Xbox One. The changes aren't going to be as huge as on Windows 10, but they are going to be substantial nonetheless. They're not going to be surprising either, as Microsoft has already pre-announced much of what's coming, including its Beam streaming platform that's out to get Twitch and YouTube Gaming.
Beam is no secret either. Microsoft acquired the startup of the same last year so integration with the Xbox system was only a matter of time really. While there is really no shortage of live streaming apps for gamers, Beam's selling point will be that it comes built right into the Xbox One. Provided the console has been updated to the latest, of course. It should appeal to first time and casual streamers who can't be bothered with more complicated setup processes. Just fire it off and go.
Getting access to Beam is as easy as launching the new Guide, which is at the heart of this major Xbox One update. A single press of the Xbox button on the controller brings up the guide, no matter what you're doing. And right there on the guide is almost everything you need to access quickly. That includes Beam, as mentioned, your games and apps, and even music controls if there is one playing.
The new Guide is also the gateway to new Xbox One multitasking features. It has pages for keeping track of achievements, which change depending on the game you're playing, of course. And speaking of multitasking, there's also Cortana, which now exists as an overlay to let you set reminders and control music with your voice, because that's the new trend these days.
There are more new features included in the update, like parental controls, Blu-ray bitstream passthrough, and controller Copilot. The updates for the Xbox One have started rolling out to console owners. PC gamers, on the other hand, will have to wait for the Creators Update on 11th April to have their own gaming-related features on Windows 10.
SOURCE: Major Nelson