This new Xbox One feature is probably coming to Xbox Series X, too
One-button magic
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Still using discs in yourXbox One SorXbox One Xgames console? You may be tired of having to crawl over to the television to eject and swap discs manually, but a new update is making it that little bit easier.
As reported byPolygon, members of the Xbox Preview Program – which gives enthusiast Xbox gamers beta features to test out before they roll out to the wider community – now have the option to press ‘X’ on their Xbox One home screen in order to eject whatever disc is sitting in their console.
While a small addition, this nifty feature was a great part of theXbox 360user interface, which disappeared during the transition to the original Xbox One.
Once you’ve ejected a disc, of course, you still need to take it out of the console by hand – as it will be sticking out of the mouth of the disc drive – but it’s certainly more convenient, and should save you at least a few seconds you should be spending on button-mashing.
It’s especially useful if the hardware eject button isn’t working properly, or your accessibility needs make it difficult to reach the front of the console.
Time is running out
Saving time is likely to be on gamers' minds a lot these days. The incomingXbox Series Xconsole – set to land in late 2020 – is expected to cut down on lengthy loading times, and it’ll be far more adept at quickly resuming games from your previous session.
Superior processors and an SSD hard drive will certainly help in that regard, andMicrosoftis clearly doing what it can to reduce any obstacles to you playing your heart out.
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Time is money too, of course, and the newly-announcedSmart Deliveryfeature will mean you don’t have to re-purchaseXbox One gameswhen you switch over to the next-gen console.
So, will the Xbox Series X feature the same disc-eject feature? We’d be surprised if it didn’t: why would Microsoft be developing it this late in the Xbox One’s lifespan otherwise? We’ll likely find out closer to launch.
Henry is a freelance technology journalist, and former News & Features Editor for TechRadar, where he specialized in home entertainment gadgets such as TVs, projectors, soundbars, and smart speakers. Other bylines include Edge, T3, iMore, GamesRadar, NBC News, Healthline, and The Times.
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