Xbox One summer update adds Cortana, music and more
The summer update for Xbox One consoles is now live -- days before the Aug. 2 launch of the new-and-improved Xbox One S -- and it's a big one.
The summer update brings Cortana, Microsoft's Siri-like virtual assistant to the Xbox One. While voice commands are nothing new for Xbox, Cortana's arrival is emblematic of a tightening link between the console and the Windows 10 ecosystem.
The update also improves on the Xbox One's ability to detect voice commands. It has a larger vocabulary and now allow users to communicate with the console using a headset. Previously, a Kinect was required for voice commands.
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The update also adds the ability to listen to background music while other apps are running. It means you can play a game while running an app like IHeartRadio or Groove Music behind it.
Other summer update changes tweak the usability of the console's dashboard and sharing features. There are also a number of invisible changes that prepare the console for the Windows 10 Anniversary update.
Launching on Aug. 2, the Anniversary Update carries a number of benefits for gamers, chief among them the launch of Microsoft's Xbox Play Anywhere program.
Play Anywhere is Microsoft's version of cross-play, allowing Xbox One users to download and play the PC version of supported games on Windows 10 machines.
The list of initially supported games is rather small and it only works if you bought the game digitally, but it's a significant step toward Microsoft's goal of joining the Xbox and Windows platforms under one development umbrella.
You can check out the full list of supported Play Anywhere games right here.
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
