Microsoft is reportedly planning to release universal Windows 10 apps for the Xbox One by November.
According to “sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans”, Microsoft will start introducing more and more apps to the Xbox One by the end of this year.
Since announcing the cross-platform/universal apps for Windows 10, Microsoft has been very quiet on an exact release schedule.
However, thanks to sources speaking to The Verge, we could be looking at a full plan outline at the Microsoft Build Developer Conference in April.
Those plans will allegedly include allowing developers to turn their retail Xbox One consoles into dev kits to test the universal apps.
An SDK preview will arrive in May alongside the ability to switch your retail console to a dev kit. Both will apparently be made available publically to developers, in order for them to start making apps during the summer.
Xbox One app development is currently limited to a small group, but when the SDK is released, all developers will be able to get involved.
After this, all developers will be able to offer beta apps for Xbox One users to test.
Related: Windows 10 will make the Xbox One an even better console
The SDK will also allow apps to run in the background, meaning you’ll be able to listen to third-party music apps while you play a game.
Apparently, any existing Xbox One apps will continue to be compatible with the console, but all will supposedly switch over to universal apps in November time.
Apps will be able to submit and publish their new universal apps in November, but they’ll need to be built on the new SDK coming in May.
Windows 10 is due to launch on the Xbox One later this year.
What isn’t clear so far is how the Kinect will tie into these new Windows 10 apps. That’s just something we’ll have to find out more about at a later date.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
