Beam video game streaming service could use a new Xbox One feature

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by Radu Tyrsina 

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When asked if Microsoft’s own video game streaming service, Beam, would be snappable on the Xbox One when it launches in the near future, Mike Ybarra responded with a rather cryptic reply, “Better than snappable”, that left followers equally excited and scratching their heads.

Right now, multitasking on the Xbox One requires the snapping of an app to the side of the screen in a similar fashion to how apps are snapped on a Windows 10 PC or tablet. Twitch’s gaming streaming app on Xbox One currently incorporates this functionality and it was assumed by many that Beam would do something similar. Guess not.

Microsoft and Beam staff have stated several times in recent months that, while there will be a Beam app for Windows 10 and Xbox One, the service itself would be built into the Windows 10 operating system, which is what the Xbox One now runs on.

In the same Twitter thread, a Windows platform developer, Martin Suchan, mentioned coding in an early version of the Windows 10 Creators Update that makes reference to a new ‘AppOverlay’ feature on Xbox One. While there’s not much to go on, the text shown does imply that future Xbox apps could be positioned over content rather than pushed aside and snapped like they are now. There are also visible options for app opacity, size, and even pinning. It’s possible that this new overlay ability could work in a similar way to how the Windows 10 Xbox app’s recording feature works right now.

Microsoft bought Beam in 2016 and has rapidly been seen building up the company from within and attracting more streamers to the platform. Beam will be getting a major push sometime in early-2017 though no specific dates have been mentioned. In addition to being incorporated into Windows 10 devices, there are also numerous new Beam apps planned for mobile devices and a variety of new features planned.

Do you use Beam? Let us know your thoughts on the video game streaming service in the comments below.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina Shield

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.

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