Microsoft will greatly improve its speech recognition technology inside the next Xbox, The Verge has learned. Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed that Durango, the codename for the next Xbox, will support wake on voice, natural language controls, and speech-to-text. The improved capabilities mean that Xbox users will be able to walk into a room and simply say "Xbox on" to wake up the new Xbox.

Natural speech recognition just like Siri

We understand that Microsoft is also investigating scenarios where a Kinect sensor will detect individuals in a room and suggest appropriate multiplayer games after a user queries the Xbox using voice. The support will include natural language detection, similar to Apple's Siri service, that will let users ask things like "what are my friends playing" to receive a friends list. Xbox will also reply back to users with answers to queries, making it an improved search service too. The current Xbox 360 console lacks natural interaction and context, we're told that's a big focus of the new speech recognition in the new Xbox.

Users will also be able to automatically resume video content where it left off simply by asking the new Xbox to play a particular movie. With speech-to-text built-in, it's likely that Microsoft will utilize this support to type out messages using the new Xbox. It's widely expected that Skype will make its Xbox debut on the new console. Microsoft will fully detail its new Xbox at E3 this year, with suggestions from sources that the company may hold a separate event to unveil its new hardware ahead of E3. The new Xbox is expected to be released later this year.

[THE VERGE]

They sorta did that with Kinect so I'm not surprised. It could work really well and kill the remote eventually! Although I personally don't think it should be used to much in games.

Would be nice to play tactical shooters with it. Could really improve the immersion if combined with this wall thingy.

I never use the speech recognition thing right now, so I doubt I'll use the extra voice recognition function, but it would be cool to switch on the xbox without pressing any buttons.

Siri is terrible. To prove this I'll say this post using Siri and see what it gives me

Sounds terrible. To prove little so this push using Siri Richardson

Its probably really hard to know what ur saying with banes mask on lol

That sounds Awesome! Microsoft launched talking to your phone using it's TellMe network before Siri came out on Window 7 phones.. Yes, it could use some improvements, but it is still how I enter more than half of my text messages on my Windows 8 Phone.

I use the voice options often when I working on things using my hands. I do get frustrated, as every now and then you have to grab a controller to click a button, or waver your hand to chose a hard drive, but that's about it. Otherwise, I really like it and think it a useful and convenient direction.

Please give it the ability to learn to pause when the phone rings.

it just seems like a massive gimmick, what if im late not gaming and kids are in bed, i don't want to be voicing comands so a console can here me, ill just reach for the remote or the controller

So you don't use the voice capabilities.  It's hardly a gimmick though.  What is there presently works pretty well, this would just expand it to natural language.

It would be a gimmick if it didn't work, or was only usable here or there.

Microsoft has already been investing in speech recognition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu-nlQqFCKg&list=UUCb9_Kn8F_Opb3UCGm-lILQ&index=20 if the next Xbox can do this ill be impressed.