After a string of policy reversals, Microsoft is altering yet another controversial feature in the Xbox One, the Kinect motion sensor device. While the sensor will still be used, it will no longer need to be plugged in for the console to function.
Having already removed the used and shared game policies and the internet connection requirement, Microsoft also received some slack for the “always-on” camera, especially from privacy-minded consumers. Concerns over NSA spying caused most of the uproar and was dramatized to such an extent that it was hard to tell just how much that would affect sales for the new console.
The original plan for the always-on Kinect was to offer a more immersive experience whether via voice commands or motion controls. While that has been expressed in the Kinect now, there simply isn’t enough push for the peripheral to be considered a success, hence the greater push with the Xbox One. Now that the camera will also be optional, what will happen with the experience Microsoft was so hoping to bring to the living room? It’s hard to say.
Microsoft may have made the right decision to remove each of these controversial features; however, it also loses technological advancements as well as all of the unique features that made it so different from its competitor, the PS4.
With the way things stand, the Xbox One is now on par with the PS4 in just about every way except for price, which still rests at $499. Although with the Kinect now an optional feature, the price could very well be lowered to $399. It’s hard to say at this point, but it might be the next, and final, step if Microsoft hopes to appease consumers.
So what are your thoughts on the Xbox One policy reversals? Could they have potentially offered a more accessible, immersive technological experience or are we better without? Please let us know in the comments below. Stay tuned for more news about the Xbox One in the coming weeks.