Xbox One August update adds 3D Blu-rays, mobile purchases, expanded friends area
The next Xbox One update looks to be pretty substantial, expanding on the console's social features and adding some oft-requested functionality. The activity feed is getting quite a few sociable additions, such as the ability to "like" your friends' activities, post text, comment on others' activities, and share "game clips and anything else" with friends. Meanwhile, you'll get notifications whenever someone likes or shares something with you.
Other additions in the update include mobile purchases, which will allow games purchased via Xbox.com or SmartGlass to immediately begin downloading, so long as you have configured your Xbox One to automatically receive updates. Support for 3D Blu-rays will also be added, along with low-battery notifications, the ability to disable notifications during video playback (yes), and displaying when your friends were last online. Finally, the update will bring the Xbox One's TV OneGuide to Brazil, Mexico, Austria and Ireland.
Some big changes are also headed to the home screen, namely an expanded friends area. This will showcase your friends' latest activity, the top games they're playing and a Gamerscore leaderboard. The new home screen will only be available to those with preview access, unfortunately, so that Microsoft can "refine it until it's ready for the entire Xbox One market."
The update will be available next week for users with early access. It rolls out next month – sans expanded friends area – for all other Xbox One users.
[Image: Microsoft]
