Xbox One S users will be seeing a new update today. Microsoft is rolling out new support for BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray formats on its newest game consoles. If you are unfamiliar, BD-R is a write-only disc, while BD-RE discs are rewritable. The company says the update to the support is available to all users now.
This is an app update because Blu-ray support on the Xbox One S is handled through an application. Indeed, this app must be installed on a console for it to be able to play Blu-ray and DVD discs.
Microsoft shows how you can install the app from the Windows Store:
- Select Search.
- Type Blu-ray in the search bar, press the Menu button, and then select Blu-ray Player app when it appears.
- Select Free or Install to download and install the Blu-ray Player app.
For those asking… yes, Xbox One S will support BD-R and BD-RE. App update should happen today. #Xbox
— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) November 2, 2016
The update to support BD-RE and BD-R discs was confirmed by Mike Ybarra. The Director of Program Management for Xbox made the announcement on his Twitter page.
Xbox One S
The Xbox One S launched in August, shortly after Microsoft had rolled out the Windows 10 Anniversary Update to the Xbox platform.
It came with several improvements over the original Xbox One:
- “Xbox One S offers a great value as one of the top 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players on the market – which means you can watch your favorite movies in stunning 4K. The 2TB launch edition Xbox One S will be available for $399 USD with 1TB and 500GB Xbox One S options starting at $299 USD over the coming weeks.
- You can play over 100 console exclusives, and with High Dynamic Range (HDR) support for video and gaming, Xbox One titles like Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, Scalebound and NBA 2K17 will look even better thanks to a higher contrast ratio between lights and darks, bringing out the true visual depth of your favorite games. And don’t forget about the growing library of backward compatible Xbox 360 games.
- You can also stream movies or TV shows in 4K Ultra HD with content from partners like Netflix available now. More content from Amazon Video and others is on the way!
- Xbox One S is 40 percent smaller than the original Xbox One, featuring a built-in power supply. No more brick!”
The console has been a contributing factor in Microsoft’s market resurgence in the United States. The Xbox One has sold more units over the last three months in the US, compared to Sony’s PS4. We have also compared Microsoft’s latest console favorably against Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro.