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Kinect For Windows Is Dead; Long Live Kinect For Windows Via USB
puddingebola writes Microsoft has announced it will no longer manufacture Kinect for Windows. Only the Xbox One version will be available for purchase. Microsoft said it could not meet demand for the device, a strange claim for a company to make. The console version, though, will still work with Windows by way of a USB adapter, and as pointed out by this similar story at Gamespot, for about the same total price.
Failure? What failure?
Maybe for gaming and some smart TV shenanigans I don't even know, but for the research/development world it's been the greatest thing ever. All that's changed is that MS went, "Why are we producing two versions of the same thing?" And then said, "Oh, in that case we'll just produce one version, then make an adapter."
In other words, MS made an excellent business move that saves the money and doesn't cost anyone anything.
The statement is obviously bullshit, but the question then is, "What is the real reason?"
Possibilities include:
1. Everyone is buying Windows Kinect because it's fun to hack around with, but very little of that is translating into stuff they can make money from. Kinda like the way Sony removed Linux support from the PS3 because people were buying PS3s, putting Linux on them, and then not buying games.
2. Some Microsoft exec saw how Apple is outshining everyone else, and people are continuing to buy Apple stuff despite them restricting all their products, and thought that Microsoft needs to get in on that action.
3. The different products are actually virtually equivalent except for the adapter, so it doesn't make sense to have two different lines. But if that was true, why wouldn't they just come out and say that? (Note, this isn't mutually exclusive from #2)
4. Some other reason I can't think of?
Given his philanthropic generosity for helping out genuinely poor countries, I doubt he views anyone making a developer's salary as poor.