The next Xbox One update will finally bring voice messaging to Microsoft's newest console, allowing people to record and send snippets of speech to other users of Xbox Live. The update, which is currently being rolled out to people invited to Xbox's Update Preview program, also brings dedicated servers for party chat to cut down on connection errors, and expands the "What's On" area of the console's dashboard.

Microsoft's previous console, the Xbox 360, let users record and send voice messages as standard from its launch in 2006, but to the chagrin of a number of Xbox gamers, voice messaging wasn't present on the Xbox One when the device launched in late 2013. Now that both consoles have the feature, messages can be sent between both — Xbox One users can record and send speech to Xbox 360 users, and vice versa.

The Xbox 360 could send voice messages

The update will also bring a number of minor tweaks to the Xbox One's interface, making it easier to check achievement notifications without launching the relevant app, and adding game hub links to collect information about specific games in one place. There's no date set yet for the general release of the April update, but given the name, Xbox gamers can expect it soon.