Xbox 360 update to add installs, motion-sensing?

A forthcoming system update for the Xbox 360 should make some fundamental improvements, according to an alleged internal source at Microsoft. Due later this spring, the update is expected to carry some 80 changes or additions, among which one is listed as "Support for titles to store installation data on Storage Device for faster loading." Unlike Sony's PlayStation 3, the 360 does not currently allow installation of game data to a hard drive; this is because Microsoft offers a basic 360 without any default storage, and it has insisted that all titles should support all 360s.

The update is also said by Kotaku to include "Calibration options for motion sensor devices" in the Dashboard, lending credence to rumors that Microsoft intends to introduce a new motion controller. The success of Nintendo's Wii console is attributed largely to its intuitive motion-sensing remote, and the PS3 has motion sensors in its Sixaxis and DualShock 3 gamepads.

Some other changes are said to involve support for audio delivered through feeds, such as podcasts, and a more substantial Inside Xbox section, complete with news, weather, help and community components.

Filed under: gaming
Other story tags: Microsoft, Xbox 360, Xbox