Forcing Kinect
Between Nov. 4, 2010 and Jan. 3, 2011, the fastest-selling consumer electronics device was not an iPhone or an iPad — it was Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360. The device got decent reviews and flew off store shelves. So naturally, Microsoft felt that packing a next-generation Kinect in with its Xbox One console was a no-brainer.
But, it wasn’t. Consumers were mad that there was a lack of choice provided by Microsoft, as there was no Kinect-less console bundle available at the Xbox One’s launch. Further, the Xbox One’s UI relied so heavily on Kinect voice commands that buying an Xbox One and selling the Kinect after seemed like a risky proposition. Rather than buy a system with an extra accessory they didn’t want, many just went away to Xbox One’s competitor instead.