Xbox Kinect has been a big performer for Microsoft in its first year, and it would appear that Microsoft is just getting started with the motion control technology. In addition to potentially working out deals to get Kinect integrated into TVs, the newest rumor suggests that a Kinect follow-up will see a major improvement in accuracy.
According to Eurogamer's sources, a Kinect 2 is in development that is so incredibly accurate that it will be able to read a player's lips. This next-gen camera will feature much improved motion sensing and voice recognition and will come bundled with future Xbox consoles. Because the Kinect 2 will have incredible sensitivity to players' faces, it will be able to sense when players are angry, and determine in which direction they are facing. Additionally, the device will be able to monitor the pitch and volume of player voices and facial characteristics to measure different emotional states - sort of creepy, some might think.
The report goes on to say that Microsoft is actually planning to launch two different versions of its next Xbox console. One will be a very cost-efficient, stripped down machine, like a Kinect set-top box to sell as cheaply as possible. The other will be a "more fully-featured machine" with optical drive, hard disk and backwards compatibility. This is the version that hardcore gamers would want, of course, and it would sell at a higher price point.
