The first UWP app for Xbox One is the new Blu-ray Player app

3 min. read

Published on July 6, 2016

published on July 6, 2016

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Microsoft’s Xbox One video game console has had the capability to run Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps for a few months now ever since it upgraded to a version of the Windows 10 operating system. Since the upgrade though, no UWP app has debuted on the platform. That changes today with the gradual rollout of the new Xbox One Blu-ray Player app.

The new Blu-ray Player app will replace the existing one automatically after an app update is implemented. The update is currently only being pushed out to 20,000 Xbox One Preview members as part of a test but more Preview members will eventually gain access before it’s properly launched to the general public soon afterwards. The new Blu-ray Player app is apparently not that different from the existing one with all of the changes being mostly under the hood with the coding.

A special post concerning the app was posted on the private forums used by Preview members. Here’s what it said:

Hey everyone,

You’ve likely heard about the new universal apps platform for Windows 10, which also includes Xbox, and the Xbox Universal Store introduced in the latest Xbox One update.

Tonight, we’re excited to launch the first universal app on Xbox One to a subset of Preview users: Blu-Ray Player.

Beginning tonight, the top 20,000 Preview participants (based on total Preview award points) will see a new app update become available for the Blu-Ray Player. The app update will not be available to all 20,000 top Preview participants immediately, but should become available over the next 24 hours for those selected. There will be few if any noticeable differences between the old Blu-Ray Player app and the new Blu-Ray Player universal app. Primarily, we’re looking for feedback on problems or any unexpected behavior.

If you do encounter any problems or unexpected behavior with the new Blu-Ray Player universal app, please use Report a problem (hold down the Xbox button on the controller and select Report a problem) and let us know.

Thanks so much for being part of Preview and helping us test our first universal app!

The main perk of the UWP app format is that it allows developers to write one batch of code for an application that can be re-used on different hardware running Windows 10. For example, the same app code could function on a Windows 10 PC like a Surface Pro or Surface Book, an Xbox One, a Windows phone, a Microsoft Band, and HoloLens. This differs greatly from the previous method where developers had to design completely different apps for each type of hardware. Several companies such as FitBit, Nickelodeon, Dailymotion, NASCAR, and Hulu have all confirmed that they are working on UWP apps for the Xbox One however the apps’ release dates remain ambiguous since their initial announcements.

Are there any Universal Windows Platform apps that you would like to see on the Xbox One? Let us know which ones you think should be released on the console in the comments below.

Special thanks to Peter for the tip!

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.