Xbox (software)

Xbox
A component of Microsoft Windows

Screenshot of the Xbox app on Windows 10
Details
Type Dashboard
Included with Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile
Also available for Windows 8, Windows Phone, Windows Server 2012 and later, Windows Mixed Reality, Android, iOS
Replaces Xbox Games, Steps Recorder
Related components
People, Microsoft Solitaire Collection, Mahjong, Minesweeper

The Xbox app (originally known as Xbox 360 SmartGlass and Xbox One Smartglass) is a dashboard for Xbox Live accounts. On launch, it was positioned as a companion app for Xbox video game consoles, including Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles, providing access to Xbox Live community functions, remote control, as well as second screen functionality with selected games, applications, and content.[1] The Xbox app is available for Microsoft Windows, Android, and iOS.

Features

The Xbox app features achievements, recommended games, games that friends are playing, party planning, and instant messaging. When a user launches it for the first time, the app will offer to create an Xbox Live account for a local user or automatically create an avatar and username for a user with a Microsoft Account. The Xbox app allows users to change the username, choose whether to show or hide the user's real name, create a bio, and change the user's accent color and avatar It can be used as a launchpad for games on a PC.

The Xbox app's contact management integrates with People.[2] If a Facebook account is connected, the user will see Facebook friends listed in the friends suggestion list. If a Twitter account is connected, the user will automatically tweet Xbox game achievements.[3]

The app automatically displays games installed through the Windows Store and users can manually add games (or any other apps) installed outside the Windows Store, such as Microsoft Garden Pond. The app can search for both Windows 10 or Xbox One games. Despite the name, any app can be recorded. Although Game DVR does not include a keylogger, Microsoft considers it a replacement for the discontinued Steps Recorder.[4] The Xbox app also features audio/video quality settings and whether to automatically record game clips that can be saved later.

The Windows 10 version of the Xbox app features a video screen capture utility on supported devices called Game DVR; on devices without video capture support, Game DVR only takes screenshots. The Game DVR can be opened by hitting the Win + G screenshot combination; other Game Bar settings can be customized in the app. The Trending feature shows trends from Beam and Xbox Live.

History

The original logo of the Xbox One SmartGlass app

Xbox SmartGlass was originally announced during the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo. The announcement was accompanied with demonstrations on how the application would work. These demonstrations included Madden NFL 13, Halo 4, and Internet Explorer.[5][6]

The Windows 10 family of operating systems introduced a revamped version of SmartGlass referred to simply as Xbox. It features a new, multi-column interface with an Activity Feed display, and allows users to control and play games from an Xbox One console over a local network, the ability to view and edit Game DVR recordings from an Xbox One console. The PC version of the Xbox App also supports Game DVR on supported hardware, and has a library display for games installed on the PC, such as those obtained via Steam and Windows Store.[7][8][9]

On June 13, 2016, the Android and iOS versions of Xbox One SmartGlass were updated and re-branded as Xbox, coinciding with an updated user interface that is similar to the Windows 10 version.[10] Xbox 360 SmartGlass was not updated.

The Xbox app encourages users to download related apps from the Windows Store.

SmartGlass compatibility

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Xbox One's SmartGlass App Does Essential Stuff Your Xbox One Won't". Time. November 21, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Xbox Contacts Integration Spotted In People App Of Windows 10 Redstone Build". MSPoweruser.
  3. ↑ Warren, Tom. "Microsoft's next Xbox One update adds Twitter integration and custom backgrounds". The Verge.
  4. ↑ Bacchus, Arif. "Windows 10 Steps Recorder being deprecated, to be replaced by Xbox Game Recorder". OnMSFT.
  5. ↑ "E3 2012".
  6. ↑ Stein, Scott. "E3 2012: A closer look at Xbox SmartGlass".
  7. ↑ "Xbox on Windows 10: social features, game DVR and more". Engadget. AOL. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Xbox app coming to Windows 10, Microsoft confirms". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Windows 10 will let you stream Xbox One games to any Windows 10 PC or tablet". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  10. ↑ "New Xbox apps for iOS and Android look just like Windows 10". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Xbox (beta)". Microsoft. Windows Store.
  12. ↑ "Xbox Avatars". Microsoft. Windows Store.
  13. ↑ "Xbox Accessories". Microsoft. Windows Store.
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