Xbox One April Update Brings Voice Messages

March isn't even over yet and we are already looking towards next month and the updates that Microsoft will offer up for the Xbox One game console. The April system update for the Xbox One will bring some nice new features to the mix including voice messages, party chat updates, and other new features. A preview of these features that will land in April will start to roll out tonight.

Voice messages are one of the big new features in the preview. This will allow users to compose and playback voice messages using a message app snapped to the Xbox One. Players can send their friends messages using a double tap of the Xbox button. Voice messages can even be sent between the Xbox One and Xbox 360 game consoles.

Party chat is getting dedicated servers with the goal of allowing Xbox One owners that have NAT issues to party chat more reliably. When a group using party chat is unable to form direct peer-to-peer connections, the group will be able to take advantage of the dedicated server infrastructure to relay traffic.

The feature will be available only in parties where one or more of the users has the April preview installed. The final new feature in the April update is changes to What's On. Xbox team members are tweaking What's On area to highlight popular videos, movies, TV shows, and game broadcast. The preview of this feature will be available in the US, Canada, and the UK.

SOURCE: Major Nelson