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Xbox One tipped to get Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa support
- Leaked screenshot purportedly reveals the existence of third-party voice assistants coming to the Xbox One.
- To get started, users have to enable the functionality on the console and then search for “Xbox” in their voice assistant app.
- A reveal date hasn’t been announced, but Microsoft’s E3 conference is less than a week away.
It feels like an eternity ago that Microsoft first launched the Xbox One with voice commands via the Kinect camera accessory. Much has changed since then though, as Kinect was abandoned and voice assistants became ubiquitous on other devices.
Now, Windows Central has uncovered upcoming support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant in the Microsoft console. The leaked image (below) shows a new “digital assistants” setup screen, as well as a tickbox to enable the function.
In terms of actual setup, the instructions merely tell users to tick the box, then search for “Xbox” in their favorite voice assistant app on their phone.
What can you do with voice and Xbox One?
It’s unclear what kind of features we can expect, but media-related commands currently seen on smart speakers and smartphones are the most obvious candidates. After all, gaming consoles are one of the most popular streaming devices, according to a December 2017 report.
It’s also easy to imagine a few gaming-related voice commands, such as recording a video clip, launching specific games, and sending invites to friends.
There’s no word on a launch date for the feature, but the annual E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles kicks off next week. Microsoft could officially reveal the feature at its pre-E3 2018 conference on June 10.
In any case, the integration would go a long way to replacing the voice commands introduced with 2013’s Kinect V2. Now, about the Xbox One getting a few more quality exclusive games…