The Xbox One has been out for quite some time in South Africa now. In fact, from September this year, it’ll be one year old locally.
And in that time, it will have had some great titles released for it, it already has in fact. And we’ve yet to see some of the biggest launches of the year.
That said, it’s hard to ignore what the console has failed to live up to.
We know it runs most games at a lower resolution to that of the PS4, and there really is nothing we can do about that.
But what about all those console features that we all wish for? Here are some of the console features that the Xbox One is in dire need of.
Better Dashboard
The Xbox One Dashboard
The Xbox One Dashboard is slow and boring, at least in my opinion anyway. Switching from apps is sluggish and often slows down the console.
It’s not easy to use either as finding something requires you to go through layers of menus, and all while the console has a fit that you’re doing so. It’s like navigating through custard.
We need a smoother and faster way to navigate through the UI. It is really a bunch of coloured blocks, what could be slowing it down?
A lot of the functionality of the Xbox One is lost in its transition to SA, because we don’t unfortunately have many of the services offered, but shouldn’t that speed the dashboard up?
Kinect Improvements
The hell beast Kinect.
Kinect is great on the Xbox One, it can monitor your heart rate, pick up your clothes, and do some really cool things.
The problem with Kinect is that it’s hard to use for navigation.
Asking the Xbox One to open apps using Kinect Voice Commands is a tedious and rather irritating process.
And let’s not get started with the hand gestures which not only make your arms ache, but usually end with you just picking up the controller and getting around using that.
We need to be able to chat to Kinect like we do a friend, and it needs to understand us. Think Siri.
We need Cortana.
Local Entertainment Support
We need local support for international services.
What is going on here? The Xbox One has been advertised as our “All-in-One” entertainment system, yet we in SA cannot open the TV or Music App, or even connect it to our DSTV decoders.
We are literally paying thousands for licenses and app development that we cannot use. The Xbox One is a package that you pay for, and this package is incomplete here in SA.
We need some online support. Allow us to watch TV shows and Movies that we rent online using the Xbox One TV App. Multichoice needs to get support going for the DSTV decoders in which allows us to control it using the Xbox One.
NetFlix is on its way to SA, and it had better be given Xbox One support immediately. Make us wait at your own peril Microsoft.
Offline Achievements
Why do Achievements not work offline?
We know the Xbox One has come quite far in regards to its “always online” features.
Microsoft scrapped all of their ridiculous requirements. And while there are a few issues that still need to be ironed out, you still cannot earn achievements or even view your achievements while offline.
This might not be a major issue everywhere else, but this is South Africa and we normally suffer from internet connectivity problems at least once a week.
This will render your achievement library moot during those times; you will still earn them, but they will only popup and count towards your total when you go online again.
Windows 10
Windows 10
We know Windows 10 is coming to the Xbox One, and very soon.
This is the perfect opportunity to fix the problems that the Xbox One is facing.
Windows 10 could bring about a smoother UI, a more localized experience, and a ton of new features that we could love, and sometimes hate.
Compared to the PS4, the Xbox One has very little in the way of local appeal.
It needs to improve its console functionality. I would be the happiest person in the world if they launch movie and music support in SA.
What do you think the Xbox One needs? Let us know in the comments and forum
More Xbox One News
Microsoft’s new Xbox One controller to sport a 3.5mm headphone jack
Windows 10: when it arrives and what it will mean for the Xbox One
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Microsoft need to to compensate XB1 owners in SA that are on a XBOX GOLD subscription and not able to stream music or Video or access or use apps in their store. Most of the features and apps on XB1 is brilliant, just too bad we aren’t able to use 98% of the apps they provide available to the US & UK and other countries. The lack of companies in SA which wont collaborate to creating Apps for XB1 is also missing the picture and we don’t see anyone for the last year stepping up and filling this opportunity to create something for the XB1 store. This also follows the restrictions to International content and services. WHEN WILL SA STEP UP AND BE PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL TECH MOVEMENT AND COHERE TO INTERNATIONAL ICT STANDARDS??????????????????