During E3 2015, Microsoft announced a new update heading to the Xbox One. It will include a dashboard, support for backward compatibility with Xbox 360 games and Microsoft’s Cortana intelligent voice assistant. You’ll need a Kinect to use Cortana, though.
While there has been some speculation about how Microsoft would allow user input to their intelligent agent, the question has been settled. In a recent promotional video that highlights the all new Xbox One experience and shows how one might use Cortana to see if someone is online, or to find the next quest during a game, Microsoft specifically says “Kinect required for Cortana speech recognition. Cortana available in select jurisdictions only.”
That’s kind of a bummer for folks who don’t own a Kinect. Maybe Microsoft will extend support at a later time. Check out the promo below for a closer look at the experience.
