During its CES Keynote, Microsoft unveiled the impending release of Kinect for Windows, an announcement that has raised the ire of some consumers. In the US Kinect costs $150, but the PC version is tentatively priced at $250. According to the Kinect for Windows blog, the reason for the PC price hike is the that the Xbox 360 version is “subsidized by consumers.”
“The ability to sell Kinect for Xbox 360 at its current price point is in large part subsidized by consumers buying a number of Kinect games, subscribing to Xbox LIVE, and making other transactions associated with the Xbox 360 ecosystem,” claims the blog. “In addition, the Kinect for Xbox 360 was built for and tested with the Xbox 360 console only, which is why it is not licensed for general commercial use, supported or under warranty when used on any other platform.”
It’s an interesting observation, and one that gives us an insight into precisely what it is Microsoft is attempting to achieve the Kinect for Windows. On Xbox, as you’d expect, it’s primary function is interface navigation and games. On Windows, Microsoft seems keen to take advantage of the kind of innovation seen in the numerous Kinect mods we’ve seen in the past year or so.
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