Whether you think depth sensing cameras will become the next big thing or fizzle out, the model that helped usher in the tech is set to be retired for good. The original Kinect will be phased out in 2015, some four years after Microsoft first introduced it to bolster Xbox 360 sales. The sensor was controversial with gamers from the get-go, but was embraced by the DIY hacking community and companies who used it for facial and motion tracking, among (many) other uses. Plenty of those folks still rely on the Kinect v1, so Microsoft advised them to buy as many as they need, and soon, since it won't make any more after the current stock sells out.
The next-gen Kinect v2 became a non-optional part of the Xbox One console, but many gamers didn't use it and didn't want to pay for it. As a result, Microsoft now offers a cheaper Xbox One version without it, a move that boosted sales of late. As expected, it has also introduced a new $199 Kinect for Windows, along with a $50 adapter that allows you to use an Xbox One Kinect on your PC. While its demise is not unexpected, we still feel a bit nostalgic about the original Kinect -- to see some of the more bizarre things done with it, check the video below.
Filed under: Cameras, Gaming, Microsoft
Via: Microsoft News
Source: Microsoft
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