As many gamers pick up the new Xbox One console, or even upgrade to Windows 8, they are slowly becoming familiar with Microsoft's tile-focused Operating System. On Windows Phone, said set-up has been the norm for quite some time, but Microsoft's other devices are slowly catching up in order to introduce some parity.

However, while Windows 8 and the Metro interface have their advantages, there are obviously places where Microsoft can improve. And that's just what they plan to do with a new OS Update currently codenamed "Threshold."

According to ZDNet, Microsoft is planning a spring 2015 release for Threshold, which will include updates for Windows, Windows Phones, and the recently released Xbox One. The end goal of the update will, as mentioned, be to better unify all Microsoft devices.

As far as was what users can expect from the Threshold release, ZDNet mentions a unified app store across all Microsoft devices and a better toolset for developers as two of Microsoft's key goals for the update. Obviously, those improvements apply more specifically to PC and mobile OS type stuff, but that doesn't mean the Xbox One won't benefit from it. After all, the Xbox One is a very app-focused device, and so if Threshold makes those apps easier to develop and easier to obtain it could boost the profile of the new console.

Other Threshold news bits include a plan by Microsoft to support what are called "high value activities" on all platforms. Such activities include content/documents (example given: MS Office), IT management (example given: Intune), and decision making (example given: Bing).

While Microsoft is by no means done with Windows 8 — which only just recently received a true start bar — they are also apparently planning for the future. And that future now includes their all-in-one console. What exactly gamers can expect is unclear, but it sounds like Microsoft is looking to add some commonality between their Windows-based devices. Moreover, they want to make apps easier to create and easier to procure.

Most Xbox One owners are still waiting to see what the next wave of apps will bring - Spotify, Twitter, Facebook? But knowing that Microsoft is already thinking some two years down the road should give them comfort with regards to their expensive purchase.

What do you hope Microsoft introduces with their Threshold OS update? Where do you think the OS on the Xbox One needs improving?

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Source: ZDNet (via Games Industry)