Last week, Sony confirmed which apps and services would be available for the PS4 on Day 1, after players downloaded the console's first update of course. And shortly after that, they revealed which media apps (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc.) would also be making the day 1 cut.
Not to be outdone by their biggest competitor, Microsoft earlier this week revealed which apps, features, and services will be available for the Xbox One at launch. For the most part, the Xbox One is matching the PS4 feature for feature, along with a few of its own bells and whistles.
Considering the console launches with the peripheral, it's no surprise that the Kinect's full feature set will be available at launch. Gamers will be able to use the biometric sign-in feature, which recognizes a player based on their face and automatically signs them into their associated Xbox Live account, and the all the various voice commands the Kinect offers.
Similarly, the Game DVR, instant switching, and multitasking features will be available at launch for players to see how these new consoles make use of their improved specs. Multitasking has become a big buzzword for the next-gen, and it's good to see that both consoles will offer the option at launch.
For a full list of the Xbox One's launch day features see below:
- Voice Commands
- Biometric Sign In
- Instant Resume and Instant Switching
- Watch Live TV via Xbox One
- Get a Multiplayer Invite While You are Watching TV
- Game DVR and Upload Studio
- Do Two Things at Once
- Skype
- One Guide - Personalized Guide to Apps
- SmartGlass Functionality
While a list of features is all well and good, Microsoft has also released a 13-minute video that shows many of these features in action. That way players can see just how snappy the Xbox One hardware is, and how easy switching from one task to the other appears to be.
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The video covers most of the basics, many of the features we have seen demoed before, but this is supposedly in a live setting. Obviously, gamers will have to see for themselves how well the Kinect voice commands sync up with the dashboard, and how quickly the console can switch between apps, but if it's exactly like the video claims it is then color us impressed.
While the PS4 is all set to make its debut ahead of the Xbox One, Microsoft is doing its best to ensure gamers know what type of experiences are waiting right around the corner. Granted, many of the features the Xbox One offers are possible on the PS4, but that doesn't mean they are any less impressive to see in action.
Which of the Xbox One's launch day features are you most interested to try out? Which do you think will have the biggest impact on your console experience?
Microsoft's Xbox One launches on November 22, 2013.
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Source: Microsoft