November is a big month for Xbox One owners, as it marks the start of backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games. However, that same month also means a grand redesign of the Xbox One interface, due to Windows 10.
The company calls the update "The New Xbox One Experience," and while the new design has a few similarities to the current version, its layout is meant to provide easier access to various features.
From Games To Apps
As soon as you turn on the console, the first noticeable changes appear in the Home screen, which has been changed to make sharing content easier and let you see what friends are playing and catch up on the latest news on your favorite game in the Game Hubs section. In addition, the online community will also see upgrades such as a new Trending option to see the most popular topics at the moment throughout the community.
The Guide is a smaller version of Home, meant as a quick glance if a notification comes up during gameplay. The team at Xbox made the new iteration faster and included the most frequently used options, such as inviting friends to a party, viewing notifications and answering messages. If there are current issues with your system setup, the Guide will also provide quick access to the Settings page so you don't have to exit the game.
Adding to its TV capabilities, the console's OneGuide now includes a list of current trending TV shows to give viewers an idea of what to watch. When browsing the OneGuide's TV listings in fullscreen, you won't have to miss a moment of your current show with the new picture-in-picture feature. The trending feature is also implemented for movies and videos.
The final upgrade comes in the Store, which will be separated into four categories: Games, Movies & TV, Apps and Music. The current listings are displayed vertically so as to show more content per page. You can also filter through selections by the latest releases, staff picks and highest rated.
A Sneak Peek
If you can't wait until November to see the new design, you can join the Xbox One Preview Program and hope to get an invite to try it out. The invites start in a few weeks, but the company stated that it will first contact players in the program who created the most feedback in recent trials to get the most feedback as soon as possible. Only then will Xbox send more invitations to other Preview members to get additional comments. New builds will continue to roll out every few weeks until The New Xbox One experience is ready in early November.
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