Microsoft continues to feel pressure from Sony’s PlayStation 4 and cheap streaming boxes such as the Apple TV and Amazon’s Fire TV, as they announced on Tuesday that a cheaper, Kinect-less version of the gaming console will soon be available. They also won’t be requiring users to subscribe to their Xbox Live Gold subscription service to use media apps such as Netflix or other video streaming services.
The announcements come six months after the Xbox One’s release, during which time sales have lagged behind Sony’s less costly offering. Microsoft’s new Xbox One lineup will start at $399 without the motion capture camera, the same price as Sony’s entry.
The second-generation Kinect has been the target of angry Xbox One users due to reliability issues.
Microsoft will also drop its requirement that users have an Xbox Live Gold membership before being allowed to stream video content from the Internet via apps such as Netflix and other streaming services. It is believed that some users have been turned off by the $60-per-year gold subscription, and may have turned to options such as the Apple TV, or Amazon’s new video streaming box.
The new Xbox One bundle will be available on June 9, although preorders are available now via Amazon. Changes to Xbox Live will take effect “in early June.” The Kinect 2.0 will be available as a standalone item this fall.
