Xbox chief confirms handheld console is still a few years away

There are loads of PC-based handheld consoles out there, and the Windows-based machines all offer support for the Xbox app and Game Pass. But when will Microsoft cut out the middleman and develop a dedicated Xbox handheld?

Well, Xbox chief Phil Spencer told Bloomberg in a wide-ranging interview that the company was working on prototypes and thinking about its plans for the segment. However, he added the company was still a few years away from launching its own handheld console.

Spencer said that the team was currently focusing on making the Xbox app work better on existing handhelds. He also acknowledged that the Xbox app experience was good but not great on some of these devices.

“Longer term, I love us building devices,” the Xbox chief was quoted as saying. “And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now.”

Either way, one of the biggest issues with Windows-based handhelds has traditionally been the awkward user interface, which doesn’t play nicely with controllers. So we really hope the company prioritizes fixing this problem.