UPDATE: The Xbox One will hit retail in 13 major territories including North America and the UK on 22 November.
New reports today are suggesting that Microsoft may be announcing the release date of its Xbox One just as the console has been put in full production for its November launch. It’s also being reported that the console will be receiving last minute CPU upgrades and instead of the 1.6GHz processor initially thought to be outfitted with the One, it’ll be receiving a 1.75GHz. All of these notes bode well for the Xbox faithful as there’s finally a glimmer of when the console will be consumer available to them.
The reports come via Engadget, GeekWire, and Mirror, showing that perhaps this isn’t just a rumor or suggestion and possibly the real deal. Microsoft doesn’t have any press conferences or events planned so there’s no real forum for it to make the Xbox One release date announcement but it’s possible to come over its blog or even through Twitter.
The CPU upgrade is surely Microsoft’s attempt to further separate itself from the pack, namely Sony’s PlayStation 4, and go hand-in-hand with previous upgrades made to the device preceding its launch. In early August, Microsoft similarly upped the ante on its graphic processing unit. Together, these will add for a seamless gaming experience with little-to-no lag and the capability to multitask between live game play and other entertainment facets.
The date in November the Xbox One is expected to launch will come either today or sometime during the rest of the week, but what we do know are specs and price. For $499, Xbox loyalists will be afforded the following:
Games
While Sony was off announcing its PS4 launch date, Microsoft and the Xbox One crew showcased the entirety of its next-gen gaming lineup, which you can check out here.
New games from EA Sports will include contemporary versions of FIFA, Madden Football, NBA Live, and UFC. Microsoft Studios is all poised to release 15 new games, including 8 completely brand new franchises, which will be made available later this year and debuted at E3 back in June to much fanfare.
One of the most hyped games, though, Microsoft will be releasing exclusively for the Xbox One is the newest member to the Call of Duty franchise, Call of Duty: Ghosts. Using a brand new gaming engine, publisher Activision’s flagship series features stunning graphics and a story line by Academy Award winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan. Characters are more personal and intimate, including a new German Shepherd sidekick companion.
Instant Switching
A voice activated function, Instant Switching lets the user seamlessly switch from live television to gaming to movies. Hand cues such as extending arms towards the Kinect camera and grasping and minimizing in mid-air selects the screen and subsequently minimizes it for the ability to toggle between screens.
Snap Mode
Similar to Instant Switching, Snap Mode lets the user split the screen between multiple entertainment platforms. Yusuf Mehdi demonstrated Snap Mode at the Reveal Event by using the new sports offering as an example. Users can watch their favorite sports game all the while receiving live stat updates for their favorite Fantasy athletes as they watch highlights and update their roster–all on the same screen.
Guide
The Xbox One Guide lets users take advantage of the same voice recognition technology to find, watch, and keep up with their favorite shows. Favorites and Trending likewise lets users navigate through television channels to find shows they love and make it easy to stay up to date with the latest drama.
Skype
Skype will also be available on the Xbox One. The Kinect cam allows for group video calls on TV during Snap Mode. When the notification appears on the top of the screen, all the user has to do is say “Answer call” and Snap Mode will run, splitting the screen between whatever entertainment you’re engaged in as well as your Skype call.
Kinect
All of these new features and operations are made possible with an updated Kinect. The motion-sensing 1080p camera lens understands joint rotations, balance and weight distribution, and even reads the user’s heart beat which of course will be great for using Xbox One for exercise, but it also bolsters the fact that motion-detection for navigating the One will be silky smooth.
Under the Hood
As for the specs, as previously thought they were a bit limited but Microsoft did confirm some of the rumors. The Xbox One will run on an 8-core CPU, feature 8GB of RAM, offer 500GB HDD, boast a Blu-ray drive, and connect through a wireless Wi-Fi direct and HDMI input/output.
The Reveal Event and E3 both offered glimpses into the new line of games and entertainment poised to be outfitted for the Xbox One. A pre-recorded Steven Spielberg video introduced a just-for-TV series of Halo, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned a new deal with the NFL and Microsoft to take advantage of the sports offering feature.
