Xbox Games and SmartGlass apps updated for Windows 8 and RT

The Xbox Games and Xbox SmartGlass applications have been updated with improved stability and new functionality on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices, Microsoft spokesperson Larry Hryb recently announced.

The new Xbox Games app has undergone some aesthetic changes to streamline the process of hopping into a game from its main hub. The Xbox Games home screen now displays the last game you played, and provides easier access to downloadable content supporting that title. Game assets, including screenshots and trailers, also have more prominent placement on the app following the update. Most importantly, Xbox Games users can now send and receive text messages to and from Xbox Live friends through the app.

The SmartGlass application has only undergone one major change: Now, whichever device you're using as your Xbox 360's second screen will stay on as long as its connected to the console. The update also addresses some "stability and connection issues," and adds the Xbox guide button to its virtual controls.