Microsoft sounding out advanced audio controls for next Xbox One update

Kinect camera
You can now opt in to let Microsoft hear voice commands

If you thought Microsoft was just going to sit back and relax with a nice game of Titanfall after rolling out its latest firmware update to the Xbox One, think again.

The company has confirmed that the updates are all set to continue, with new audio controls and improved speech recognitions at the top of the to do list.

The new audio controls will help deal with conflict when using the Xbox One's Snap feature, offering the ability to customise the audio levels using a new Sound Mixer function.

Also available under the settings menu will be the ability to adjust volume levels when using the Kinect camera for chat.

Making your voice heard

Also part of the next update is a slight tweak to the privacy and online safety terms that will allow users to voluntarily share their voice recognition data with Microsoft to improve the quality of the voice controls.

Microsoft promises that the setting, which is to be buried in the privacy and online safety option in the settings menu, will only be used to improve the quality of the service.

Hopefully Microsoft will be able to use some of that data to improve the rollout of its voice recognition software in Cortana for Windows Phone 8.1, bringing it to regions outside the United States sooner than later.

Having spent the past decade editing some of Australia's leading technology publications, Nick's passion for the latest gadgetry is matched only by his love of watching Australia beat England in the rugby.