To prove that Windows gamers and engineers are not left behind, Microsoft announced that the second version of the Kinect sensor will be available for the company’s cash cow as of July 15.
In an attempt to save the PC market from the evil devices that are tablets, Microsoft announced that the second generation of its Kinect sensor will also be compatible with Windows computers. After all, most gaming takes place on this platform, so the company figured out that it would probably be better to make more than just mice and keyboards for Windows users, as far as peripherals are concerned.
According to the pre-order listing that Microsoft added on its website, the second generation of Kinect will cost $200 in the US, which is quite an unexpected price, and I don’t mean that in a good way. A few months ago, Microsoft dropped the price of the Xbox One from $500 to $400, while also removing the Kinect, in the same move. It would’ve been anyone’s guess that in this context the Kinect is worth $100, or maybe a bit more if we consider the bundled price to be smaller. The Redmond giant proved us wrong and announced that the second generation will be double that price. To make things even bitterer, Europeans will have to pay 200 Euros for the depth-sensing device.
Another downside is that Kinect v2 is not yet supported by any software developer, as mentioned in the same listing: “The Kinect for Windows v2 sensor does not ship with any software. It is intended for use with the Kinect for Windows SDK 2.0 (licensed separately) and will operate only with applications developed for Kinect for Windows v2.”
With no software offered at launch and what most people would consider a steep price, Kinect v2 might not enjoy the same popularity and adoption rate as the first generation. Hardware developers are quickly moving to a world where gaming machines are affordable. There will always be premium peripherals and hardware components, but it should be noted that Microsoft doesn’t offer any other option. In other words, if you want to use a Kinect with Windows, there’s no alternative to paying $200.
This could’ve been a revolutionary move for Microsoft, but instead the company decided to launch a product that’s far from being attractive, both from price and the software’s point of view.
Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the augmented reality Tetris Kinect hack, and this Kinect-controlled robot.
