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Microsoft has released an Xbox PC app update to Xbox Insiders, saying the app launches up to 60 percent faster in its internal tests. The update also speeds up page loads and windows, and changes navigation, search and library organization; the timing of a broader release is not specified.
Microsoft has released an Xbox PC app update to Xbox Insiders, saying the revised app launches up to 60 percent faster in the company’s internal testing. The update also targets faster page loads and window opening, while changing how players browse their libraries, search for content and reach social features.
Microsoft’s reported performance gains vary by part of the app: Home, Store and Game Pass pages load up to 50 percent faster, while windows inside the app open up to 65 percent faster. These are maximum improvements reported from Microsoft’s internal testing, not a guarantee that every user or PC will see the same result. The original report cautioned that individual experience may vary.
The update also reorganizes navigation. Microsoft has refreshed library filters and game organization, and brought search for games, installed titles, people and add-ons together in one place. Friends and other social features now appear in the app’s main navigation. The visual changes include redesigned game cards and refreshed Home and Settings pages.
The release is currently for Xbox Insiders, a test audience that receives updates before general availability. The report says Microsoft appears to be preparing the changes for a wider release, but neither a public launch date nor a full rollout schedule was provided. Separately, Microsoft said its refreshed Xbox web experience, previewed in January, will soon roll out automatically to more players.
Faster Access to PC Games
If the improvements hold outside Microsoft’s tests, quicker launches and page loads could reduce the time players spend waiting to reach games or browse the app. That may be most noticeable for people who use the Xbox PC app to move between Game Pass, their installed library and the Store, though the reported figures are upper limits rather than typical results.
The navigation work addresses a separate part of the experience: finding games, add-ons and friends. Bringing those searches together and placing social features in the main navigation could make the app easier to use without switching between sections. The update’s value will depend on how the changes perform across different PCs and how players respond to the redesigned layout.
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Insider Testing Before Wider Release
Microsoft is distributing the app changes first to Xbox Insiders, rather than announcing them as a finished update for all PC users. This means the current release provides an early look at the changes, but the company may still adjust the app before a broader rollout. The source report describes the release as an update made available to Insiders on Thursday and says a full release is presumed, not confirmed.
The PC app update is part of a set of changes to Xbox experiences. Microsoft said a refreshed Xbox web experience, previewed in January, will soon be enabled automatically for more players; the report also says a similar redesign is rolling out to Xbox cloud gaming apps for TVs and VR headsets. Those related changes are separate from the PC app’s performance claims, and the source does not give dates for their wider availability.
“The Xbox PC app now launches up to 60 percent faster.”
— Microsoft, as reported by Engadget
Performance and Release Timing
Real-world performance remains unverified by the supplied report. Microsoft’s figures come from its internal tests, and the report does not provide test conditions, hardware details, a typical result or a comparison baseline. It is not clear how much of the speed difference users will experience on particular PCs.
Microsoft has not stated when the update will reach all Xbox PC app users, whether every listed change will be included in a public release, or whether Insider feedback could lead to revisions. The timetable for the wider Xbox web experience and the TV and VR cloud gaming redesigns is also not specified beyond the statement that more players will receive the web experience soon.
Broader Rollout Still Unscheduled
The immediate next step is testing among Xbox Insiders. Microsoft may use that stage to evaluate performance and navigation before making the update generally available, but the source material does not confirm how long testing will last or name a target date for public release.
Players outside the Insider group will need to wait for Microsoft to announce broader availability. Separately, the company says its redesigned Xbox web experience will soon roll out automatically to more players, while the related TV and VR cloud gaming app redesigns are also in progress. No specific dates for those releases were provided.
Key Questions
How much faster does the Xbox PC app launch?
Microsoft says the app launches up to 60 percent faster in its internal testing. The figure is a maximum reported improvement, and individual results may vary.
Who can use the update now?
The update is rolling out to Xbox Insiders. The source report does not provide a date for general availability.
What else is changing in the app?
Microsoft has updated library filters and organization, unified search across games, installed titles, people and add-ons, and moved social features into the main navigation. The update also refreshes game cards, Home and Settings.
Are the speed improvements guaranteed for every PC?
No. The figures come from Microsoft’s internal testing and describe improvements of up to the stated amounts. The report says user experience may vary and does not give testing conditions or typical results.
When will the update reach all users?
Microsoft has not announced a public release date for the PC app update. The current release is for Insiders, with a wider rollout described as likely but not scheduled in the source report.
Source: engadget.com
