Xbox One SmartGlass app for Windows Phone 8 is ready in the Store

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

With only a few days left until the hotly anticipated Xbox One arrives in stores, Microsoft has already unleashed their SmartGlass app for the news system.

SmartGlass, introduced at E3 in 2012, has slowly ramped up as a ‘second-screen’ service, allowing those with smartphones and tablets to augment what is seen on screen. The SmartGlass service is expected to get more robust with the power of Xbox One, and with this app available today, we should be ready for this Friday.

Here’s what you get with the new SmartGlass app for Windows Phone 8 devices:

  • In the living room:
  • Navigate your Xbox One console using your device’s keyboard and touch
  • Control your media and set top box with the SmartGlass remote control
  • Browse the web on your TV using your mobile device
  • Enhance what you are watching or playing with SmartGlass companions
  • Increase performance with faster connections and reliability

In the living room and on the go:

  • Search, browse, and pin content to play on your Xbox One console
  • Track achievements, get game help, message friends, and watch game DVR clips

So far, nothing seems radically different from the Xbox 360 version, but here’s hoping to improved performance with new high end Windows Phone 8 devices and the Xbox One system. Presumably a version for Windows 8.1 will also be made available soon for your Surface.

You can download Xbox One SmartGlass app now for Windows Phone 8 here in the Store. It won’t be of much use today, but come Friday (or whenever you get a One) you should be all set. Thanks, Adrian E., Joe S., and others for the tips!

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been here covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics and ran the projectors at movie theaters, which has done absolutely nothing for his career.

118 Comments
  • Downloaded it. YAHOOOOOOOO! 3 days and counting.
  • It'll be amazing on my 1520, cant wait
  • Bing*
  • It looks good. Can't phucking wait until Thursday night. XBOXONE XBOXONE XBOXONE XBOXONE.......
  • 920 got stolen yesterday :( crap buzz.... rockin a nokia luna now but i saw this and reached for my 920 and nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......
  • What a time for it to get stolen...hang-in-there.
  • Just hang in there buddy, the Lumiambulance will be there shortly!
  • ^^This MOFO. Love the WP Community. lol.
  • haha i know, its part of the reason my next phone will be my 4th WP device :P great community... well hopefully a 929 has the same GSM/Edge/HSPA+ frequencies as the 928 and it'll work here in Ireland, it IS a surface phone just not called surface... if not its a 1520
  • Haha, just doing my bit mofo! ;) and we love you too!
  • Locate and call the cops! (don't get shot over your phone)
  • Go to windowsphone.com click on explore and then find my phone. If you had find my phone on in the settings it will tell you exactly were your phone is. Call the cops, show them where it is, phone is back and broke-ass is locked up.
  • Yep, connects successfully to my XBOX ONE. But I think I've forgotten something ...  Can't wait anymore :D And I have to say it's great that MSFT starts releasing apps for WP first, like Smartglass now and this Office Online thing. Nice!
  • Office Online thing?
  • Office Remote, sorry! http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-launches-office-remote-app-for-wind...
  • You break my heart by linking to them vs us!
  • No doubt he'll change the link to WPCentral soon just to make you feel better. :P
  • Cant wait for Xbox one o wonder can we send and play voice messages in the app now
  • ^THIS^
  • Any word on the Windows 8.1 release yet?
  • Yea, most likely 18 october 2013
  • What?? How can this of come out one month ago??
  • He was, probably, talking about Windows Phone 8.1
  • one thing is for sure, s/he is asking such a off-topic question with a lack of details. lost in internet.
  • He's asking about the Windows 8.1 version of this App...
  • Oh my god, this was a joke by Devin, guys ^^
  • Early 2014
  • The biggest change is an option to allow the app to 'stay awake' and keep the phone from going to sleep. As of now with the 360 version, each time the phone 'goes to sleep' it disconnects from Smartglass on the 360 which requires you to sign in again... Very frustrating... im glad they have included this new feature into the XBOX One version of the app. Hopefully down the road, we'll see (maybe?) the two versions of Smartglass combined...
  • Yeah soo annoying. So are they gonna forget the 360 version now?
  • I agree. That is the only reason I stopped using it.
  • you can always set your phone to never "go to sleep". but yeah it is nice.
  • Why you need it combined? Are you gonna play games or watch movies on One and 360 at the same time? I dont think so
  • I wouldn't have to think about which one I need to open. And they are in two different places. It annoying.
  • Dude one said "Xbox one smartglass" another one "Xbox smartglass" plus in different places
  • Poor you and your first world problem.
  • Stop saying that please it degrades people with real problems. Don't think anyone in 3rd country's say that
  • What about browsing Xbox One Games Store, buying games and all that?
  • Yeah was expecting that too. Ah well, maybe an update will bring it.
  • Try using the search feature. You seem to be able to access it from there
  • There is the XBOX VIDEO button, not able to access it now though.
  • I love this app.....I love Xbox :-)
  • My excitement is only tempered by the fact there are so few entertainment apps here in oz at launch. I hear we don't even get the "Xbox on" command until a later date. I hope I'm wrong. App looks solid though
  • where in the hell did you hear that garbage?
  • Cnet.
    http://m.cnet.com.au/australian-xbox-one-entertainment-apps-announced-33...
  • Microsoft also reiterated that Australia will get a limited set of voice controls via Kinect. The famous "Xbox On" command still won't work at launch in Australia
  • I like to imagine that this is due to a hilarious Australian accent related reason
  • Probably not far from the truth :)
  • G'day Xbox!! :)
  • They were actually worried about what the Xbox would do when a user commanded "Xbox, mate!"
  • Yes, I hope Xbox supports a whole lot of slang like this. 'Yo Xbox' for America, 'G'day Xbox' for Oz, ''Sup Xbox' for NZ.
  • My only disappointment is the fact the tile is not flipable and I love my flipping tiles. Plus the app does not allow me to set as a lock screen....which is such a shame since the app is beautiful.
  • Not for HTC 8X in The Netherlands
  • Anybody else annoyed that the design mimics Android and that the App is in the app list and not the Games Hub?
  • No
  • I just seen that its not in games hub .....sucks!
  • I'm not even surprised anymore.. :/ But hey, at least it works!
  • Ohhh yeah!!;
  • You can direct link to http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/app/xbox-one-smartglass/c3a46cb8-e733-4579-b716-862e123fa831 from your surface or windows 8 device to download the Xbox One Smartglass app :)
  • You sir, are my hero.
  • :) Glad to help
  • Thanks man!
  • Installed and ready to do the jump from PS3 to Xbox One and looking forward to interacting with multimedia.
  • Welcome aboard, just saw via this smart glass app that there is Kinect Voice commands for FIFA14... for even substitutions..... Sh!te just got real(er). Microsoft on point.
  • I am REALLY looking forward to that. This is going to be one hell of a ride!!! Glad I pre-ordered for Day One edition :)
  • Will the new app go into location were my old smartglass app is ?
  • No, looks like it's in the main menu now.
  • This is why WP users should get the Xbox one and not the PS4. We will never get an app or any support from Sony.
  • I'm still hoping for PS4 app even signed the petition.....
  • Its exclusive to the psvita
  • Not available to the ativ s???
  • I have it on Ativ S here in UK
  • Probably because Portugal. Ugh.
  • So it's a different app than the regular one? Why didn't they just update the old one?
  • Ermmmm... Because the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One are different?
  • So that means they can't combine xbox 360 smartglass and Xbox one smartglass in one app? If connected to the 360, it will have the 360 smartglass features, connected to the One, it will have the One smartglass features. I think it would be better to combine both apps. But meh, I'm so excited for my xbox one!
  • Well they might be able to... But if the protocols are too diferent they might have to bloat it too much. Who knows, maybe at some point.   I also can't wait until the 22nd. Too bad Microsoft didn't give US a free game like in Europe. :(
  • You can be logged into the same Live account on 1 360 and 1 One simultaneously remember.
  • Can't wait can't wait work wants to go slow all of a sudden I hate you work!!
  • For which phones is this app available for ? I have 520 but cant seem to download it ..
  • I CANT DOWNLOAD IT MY GOD!
  • So excited!
  • oh i guess the other smartglass i use is for 360.  nice.  new interface
  • Well I already see a problem with the Game Clips feature.  One of the Game Clips for Ryse is a huge spoiler, showing the end of the game.  They need a "spoiler alert" system.
  • No love for 7.8 users?
  • As with most apps that will come out from here forward, 8 gets the app, and 7.8 if they feel like it in the future.
  • Its because 7.x is being phased out of service.
  • I have the money to get the free app, can someone hook a brotha up with an Xbox ONE to control with it?
  • Not for WP7, though :(
  • Because wp7 is dead!