Right now, every Xbox One comes with a Kinect camera. That might not be the case going forward, if analyst predictions turn out to be true. Michael Pachter believes that Microsoft is readying a redesign for the Xbox One, one that has no Kinect and a much lower price point.
“I think that you will probably get in 2015 a redesigned Xbox One that has no Kinect, and I think what will accelerate that process is if Sony cuts the PS4′s price: if there is a $349 PS4 on the market, Microsoft has a real problem. They’re gonna have to do something, and they’ll have to do it really quickly. I think that in 2015, you might see a $349 PS4, and an uncoupled Xbox One, and if you see both of those for $349, the consumer wins, and they will both sell very well. Microsoft is not looking to lose this cycle,” Pachter said in a recent interview.
This prediction is at odds with the public statements that Microsoft have made about the Kinect. Back in February, Microsoft claimed that the device is “absolutely integral” to the Xbox One, and that there were no plans to release a Kinect-less console.
Though Sony has been making it tough for Microsoft to compete with the PlayStation 4 in terms of sales, and removing the Kinect could be their best bet to bring the price down on the console. Microsoft has been trying numerous tactics in recent months. Bundles and price cuts have effectively lowered the price of the Xbox One for some consumers, but if Sony was to ever drop their console, Microsoft might need to cut the dead weight to keep up.
- This article was updated on March 7th, 2018
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