Xbox One is getting a new update in June and it comes packed with a lot of goodies. So, what Xbox One owners will be getting in this June update? Support for external storage, “real name” to quickly identify friends on Xbox Live, auto sign-in on startup or resume from sleep, SmartGlass update, and TV and OneGuide expand to new territories. And let’s not forget, that starting June 1st, 2014, Xbox owners without an Xbox Live Gold subscriptions will be able to access apps and services such as Hulu, Netflix, Internet Explorer, OneDrive, and more.
Xbox One June update in more detail
External storage support: After installing the June update in the console, Xbox owners will finally be able to plug an external USB 3.0 hard drive of 256GB or more capacity, lifting the 500GB storage capacity limitations that many users have been concerned for months. Users will also be able choose how the system will use the external drive, for example, to install new games and apps.
The new external drive support has a spillover feature that will use the internal console’s storage if the external drive ever becomes full, and users will be able to move content between drives. Also users will able to attach up to two external drives to Xbox One, giving access up to three drives simultaneously when counting the 500GB drive already built-in to the console.
Perhaps the most exciting feature with the external drive support is that you’ll be able to unplug the drive full of games and take it to your friends’ house and play those games without having to download anything — is like taking DVD games, like you used to with Xbox 360.
Real names: As your list of online friends starts growing more and more every day, you start loosing sense of who is who. As such after many feedback requests, Microsoft is bringing the ability to share your real name using the Friends app. Basically after the Xbox One June update installs and you launch the Friends app, you’ll be prompted to share your real name with friends, friends of friends, or you can also select a custom list of who you want to see your real name, and of course followers won’t be able to see your real name, unless you add them to the group who can see your name.
Auto sign-in: Now Xbox owners will be able to set one account as the primary, so the system can always automatically sign-in at startup or when the console resumes from sleep.
SmartGlass: Although, this is an app for other platforms to expand the console usability, it’s a big part of Xbox One. In June 2014, SmartGlass app will also receive an update bringing a few new changes: new activity feed in the main view, you’ll be able to rearrange tiles, which then will sync and rearrange those same tiles in the Xbox One’s dashboard, you’ll also get Twitch broadcast notifications. OneGuide support is coming as well and new universal remote to control TV and AV from your SmartGlass supported device.
TV and OneGuide: These features will now be available in Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Xbox Live Gold new requirements: This isn’t a console update, much as it is a service change. As I previously wrote, Microsoft changing who can do what in Xbox without an Xbox Live Gold membership. Starting June 2014, any Xbox owner with or without an Xbox Live Gold subscription will able to access many of the apps and services such as Hulu Plus, Netflix, Internet Explorer, Skype, OneDrive, OneGuide, HBO GO, NFL, MLB.TV, NBA Game Time, NHL Game Center, and many more.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].