A late discovery on the NeoGAF forums has uncovered the XDK (Xbox Developer Kit) for the fall 2011 Dashboard update. The sighting, which included a video that was briefly available on YouTube, provided a better peek into the tile interface beyond what Microsoft has shown itself. Included in the primarily French mentions are references to using the App Marketplace to find media apps and a better look at the social pane, where social apps and friends will be available.
The code is clearly borrowed from a work-in-progress build and has a number of components with placeholders and other signs it’s not entirely ready. Microsoft gives it a 2.0.14448.0 build number that suggests it considers the Windows Phone-inspired tiled interface the true sequel to the original Dashboard interface.
Among the many updates already known to be coming include YouTube, a fully Kinect-optimized interface with Bing voice search as an option, and live TV. The live feeds should include at least UFC fights, but it may have a direct IPTV feature where existing subscribers can tune in without needing an adapter or necessarily to be on the same network as the cable box.
Microsoft is expected to start a semi-public beta test of the new Dashboard soon. A go-live date isn’t confirmed but could be set in or around mid-November
