Given Microsoft’s Xbox in the Cloud (xCloud) technology is enabling gamers to play their favourites on a number of devices, it makes switch the Xbox controllers also require a little more flexibility.
A new firmware update will bring Xbox One, Xbox Elite 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controllers up to speed with the current Series S/X controllers and make it easier to switch between paired devices.
The firmware update brings Bluetooth Low Energy support, which will improve compatibility across all devices, including Windows 10, iOS and Android phones and tablets.
In an Xbox Wire blog post, Microsoft says: “After installing the firmware update, these controllers will remember one Bluetooth host (e.g., smartphone) and one Xbox Wireless host (e.g., Xbox console), so you can quickly and seamlessly switch between previously connected devices with a simple double tap of the pair button.”
So, if you’ve been playing on your Android phone on the way home, it’ll be easy to jump back into the console experience after you’ve had dinner.
“We are invested in expanding Xbox gaming beyond the console, so Xbox controllers need to work equally well on both Xbox consoles and Bluetooth devices and moving between all these devices needs to be easy,” the company added.
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Elsewhere, the update reduces latency thanks to the addition of Dynamic Latency Input technology. On the Xbox Series X/S consoles this has resulted in a big reduction on the delay between button pushes an on-screen action.
The firmware update is currently being tested among Xbox Insider beta testers ahead of a rollout for all gamers in the weeks to come. If you want to get involved, you can download the Xbox Insider Hub and enrol in the Omega ring.
“We believe it’s important to maintain backward compatibility with Xbox accessories people already have in their collection and to ensure we deliver the best gaming experience no matter how you choose to play,” Microsoft says.
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Editorial independence
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.
