New Xbox One controller gets a proper headphone jack

New Xbox One controller imminent
Get ready to ditch the adapter

Microsoft has pretty much announced a new Xbox One controller is set to launch next month via a support page on its Xbox site. And with gaming mega-show, E3 2015, on its way in but a few weeks it doesn't take Robert Downey, Jr to figure out where and when we'll likely see our first taste of the new gamepad.

There doesn't seem like there's too much new in the updated controller, to be fair, but the addition of a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack is a bit of a bonus.

Indeed it's this nugget of info on the page which has indicated there is to be a new design, explaining that the 3.5mm connection is "only available on controller released after June 2015."

New Xbox One controller

Everything else about the Xbox One controller seems pretty much identical, jack aside. So you're still going to need the Play and Charge kit to recharge your pad's batteries from the USB port.

Fingers crossed we will though also finally see the wireless adapter to connect the Xbox One controller to the PC, what with all the noises Microsoft is making about the Windows 10 continuum.

Hard times

Aside from offering access to a wider range of gaming headsets that seems largely it; interesting but not hugely exciting.

What it does demonstrate though is that Microsoft is still working away on the Xbox One hardware, so could that mean we're going to hear about an actual system refresh in June too?

If we're honest, we don't think so.

New Xbox One hardware?

June seems too early to release any updated hardware, even if Microsoft really does need to cut down that VCR-like system footprint and jam in HDMI 2.0 support. It's simply not going to announce an upcoming hardware refresh when that's likely to stall its current growing sales.

If we are to see new Xbox One hardware we think that will more likely be one for the holidays.