Microsoft has officially announced that it will release the preview version of the Windows 10 platform for the Xbox One to developers sometime in September.
As revealed in previous reports, the upcoming software upgrade will bring various new features such as an improved dashboard interface to users of the company's next-gen console, Forbes reported.
Microsoft's decision to release a preview edition of the Windows 10 before its official release for the console, which is in November, will give developers enough time to work on the platform for the Xbox One. In other words, the company wants the firmware upgrade to be test-driven first in order to detect and remove various bugs and glitches before unveiling it to the public, The Verge noted.
One of the major improvements that Windows 10 will bring to the Xbox One is a faster dashboard interface. With the new operating system, gamers will be able to switch between various tasks such as loading installed games, carrying out a group chat and going through their friends list in a more efficient manner compared to the Windows 8 version.
In addition, the redesigned dashboard will also contain new features such as the Community and Watch tabs. The former will keep track popular online content such as television shows, videos and games through its Trending on Xbox Live feature.
The latter, on the other hand, will compile content from various entertainment apps such as HBO GO, Hulu Plus, Netflix and Live TV.
Gamers can also expect to interact with Cortana, Microsoft's virtual personal assistant, once Windows 10 arrives for the Xbox One. Through simple voice-activated commands, users will be able to program Cortana to do a variety of tasks such as inviting contacts to a party chat.
The personal assistant can also be commanded to record certain parts of an on-going game and share it through the user's activity feed. According to Gizmodo, gamers will only be able to activate the audio controls for Cortana through Kinect sensors.
