Microsoft has effortlessly exceeded its goal of selling 5 million Kinect sensors during the past holiday season. Kinect will get a big software upgrade, but you can get it only as long as you subscribe to and pay for Xbox Live Gold.
Steve Ballmer at CES 2011
During the opening keynote at CES 2011, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced that Microsoft moved more than 8 million Kinect sensors within 60 days after launch. He noted that the Xbox 360 has been the best selling console in the U.S. for the past 6 months, but it was not clear whether Ballmer included December into this statement, which would mean that the Xbox sold more than 2.3 million units in the U.S. (the Wii sold about 2.3 million units).
The executive confirmed that the Xbox 360 has crossed global sales of 50 million units and there are now 30 million Xbox Live members.
Among the new features coming in 2011 are Kinect support for Xbox Live’s Netflix app as well as the addition of Hulu Plus, which will also support Kinect motion and audio controls. Both apps are scheduled for a spring debut.
The big news was the announcement of Avatar Kinect, a software upgrade the Kinect sensor so desperately needs. With Avatar, it can sense facial expressions, including smiles and when you raise your eyebrows. It is much more detailed than the rather clumsy basic Kinect. Microsoft will roll this feature out in spring, but only to Xbox Live Gold members, a subscription that costs $60 per person and Avatar per year. A Family membership for four people is currently selling for $100 per year.
This one may not sit too well with some users as the detailed sensing capability is something that the Kinect needs in some games. Microsoft may be a bit too arrogant with this one.
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