Other 2015 updates included a partial backwards-compatibility program for Xbox 360 games (in practice more like downloaded emulations of 360 games that can use their disc versions as DRM keys) that included the ability to play the entire Halo and Gears of War series on the same console. This allows for a more open market for indie developers to publish games that don't require the full power of the system in a way more like a mobile app store. Future subsequent updates in 2016 included Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana (fittingly enough) and support for the Windows universal app platform which allows apps and lighter weight games to run on the console along with Windows PCs, phones, tablets, and other devices. In 2015, the console was upgraded to a variant of Windows 10 note Initially the "Threshold 2" development branch in line with the Fall 2015 PC and Mobile Updates which brought, among other things, a redesigned dashboard featuring the return of the popup guide, Xbox 360 backwards compatibility via a self-contained emulator, DirectX 12 which improves both top end graphics performance and low end power efficiency, and the new Microsoft Edge web browser to replace IE. Microsoft has cited the software architecture as the key to future-proofing the console as it was structured from the get go to be upgradeable with new features and services while not compromising performance. Games and apps can run side by side using a "snap" view similar to the one seen in Windows 8 - demos show a docked instance Skype or Internet Explorer to the side of the screen while someone plays a game. The console actually runs three separate operating systems simultaneously: the first, referred to as "Xbox OS", revolves around the runtime environment for games the second, built on the Windows NT kernel note specifically NT 6.3, which is used in Windows 8.1, handles the Dashboard and any apps that don't require native access to the hardware the third, a version of Microsoft's Hyper-V virtualization technology, allows the first two to run simultaneously. note However 360 compatibility came back with the new Windows 10 based dashboard in 2015Īside from providing better graphics, the improved hardware allows for additional features such as full-fledged multitasking. This had the side effect of removing hardware backwards compatibility with the original Xbox and the Xbox 360. Like the competing PlayStation 4, the Xbox One switched from a PowerPC chipset to a x86-64 chipset similar to contemporary PCs to allow for better PC ports. This system has considerably more power under the hood than the Xbox 360. The Xbox One integrates video games with Internet video, music, and live television - a goal Microsoft had wanted to accomplish since the original Xbox note and even before then via failed efforts such as WebTV and the Microsoft TV software for cable boxes, and which it had partially realized with the Xbox 360. Its odd name, the "One", represents Microsoft's desire for the system to become an all-in-one living room entertainment system as well as aligning with Microsoft's "One" branding in many of their products. It was released in North America on November 22, 2013. The Xbox One is Microsoft's entry into The Eighth Generation of Console Video Games.
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