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Things come and go, especially software, and now it’s time for the Xbox Snap Mode to go. Latest reports indicate that the multitasking function that some users really enjoyed will get removed in future updates of Windows 10 for consoles, but will be replaced with new functions like Picture in Picture.
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Universal apps don’t have access to the Windows 8-based dashboard leftover, and probably never will. This itself is a good indication that the feature is dead and isn’t being developed further. Snap Mode was introduced for the Kinect sensor, which Microsoft seems to be backing out of, and while it did work with a regular gamepad, the experience was very unpleasant.
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\n - \nXbox One Snap Mode\n
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The new replacement for this feature may actually become pretty useful. The Picture in Picture concept has been seen on other platforms like Apple’s iOS before, and it works quite well on a small screen, which indicates that that would also be the case on a big TV. The new multitasking solution would, however, not only be applicable to applications focused on video and similar media but for every app that works with the Xbox system. This could result in very interesting concepts and ideas by developers in the future.
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\n - \nConcept: Picture in Picture mode on the Xbox One\n
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But the new multitasking feature is not the only thing that Microsoft has in store for future updates. The Guide menu that can be brought up by double-pressing the menu button on the controller, may get a revamp soon with new features and more. The new menu may be able to display your pinned items, as well as open with just one button, as double pressing a button, no matter if it’s hardware or software, is always an awkward gesture.
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Microsoft is focusing on reducing the time and steps required to navigate through the dashboard and some of these changes may be what’s needed.
\n\nFurther reading: Dashboard, Microsoft, Project Scorpio, Windows 10, Xbox