Microsoft is releasing a revamped Xbox app that, in addition to subtle design tweaks, aims to deliver significant improvements in speed.
Microsoft wants to make the Xbox app for PC faster. As the company announced in Xbox Wire blog, this is set to be achieved through a fundamental overhaul. Overall, the developers promise a startup that’s up to 60 percent faster than the previous app.
In addition to improving app performance, Microsoft is also streamlining the user interface. More specifically, the library, navigation, and search functions are being redesigned. However, the new app is currently only available as a preview version; a full release is still pending.
Microsoft Promises Faster Performance and Better Organization
The increased speed of the Xbox app is expected to be noticeable not only at launch but also in the overall menu navigation.
The Home screen, Store, and Game Pass will be about 50 percent faster, while in-app windows are expected to be roughly 65 percent faster. At the same time, Microsoft notes that these figures may vary depending on the device, internet connection, system configuration, and other factors.
On the X platform, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma demonstrated what this will look like in action: Here, the app’s loading time improves from 15.6 to 5.2 seconds.
The changes to the user interface, on the other hand, are likely to be more noticeable.
According to Microsoft, the library will feature simpler navigation, revamped filters, and new ways to organize games. The friends list and social features, meanwhile, are moving to the main navigation bar, where the usual chat options will be available.
- In addition to the slightly different layout, the overall look of the Xbox app has also received a subtle redesign, which is most clearly visible in the main left sidebar with its rounded corners.
- Microsoft also promises new animations. These are difficult to capture in static images, but here’s a comparison between the old and new designs anyway:
Cloud Gaming in the Browser and on TV
Xbox Cloud Gaming is also getting a refresh. According to Microsoft, the revamped web interface is set to automatically reach more players in the coming weeks—whether that will appease them following the introduction of the fixed hourly limit is another matter entirely.
Probably the biggest new features in terms of design changes are a “Library” tab that bundles cloud games you own and those from the Game Pass catalog, as well as a desktop mode for large screens similar to Steam’s Big Picture. Supported TVs and VR headsets are also set to receive this update; however, a timeline has not yet been announced.
