The Kinect may not be the most refined and successful piece of tech Microsoft has ever produced, but it does have appeal and it certainly has a large fan-base. Microsoft’s Kinect technology was so far linked to the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, but it seems to be extending beyond those limitations. As Microsoft has recently acquired the smartphone and mobile device manufacturer Nokia, the two will be working on releasing the first smartphone to make use of the Kinect technology.
The Verge recently reported that, based on a source close to Microsoft, the company will debut its first Kinect smartphone sooner than anticipated. The first flagship from Nokiasoft (if we may call them that) to feature the Kinect technology will be the phone code-named McLaren, a smartphone that is believed to be the successor of the Nokia 1020. The Kinect sensor acts as a foundation for what is now called the 3D Touch technology, a technology that will allow smartphone users to interact with their phone without actually touching the display. Simply waving your hand in front of the screen will allow you to pick up the phone, while putting the phone away into your pocket will automatically end a call.
Initially, Microsoft was planning on introducing 3D Touch into the Goldfinger, but the project was shifted towards the McLaren. Based on the success of the Lumia 1020, this might be a good move. The Goldfinger project (no, James Bond is not involved) still exists, but it seems that the McLaren will be Nokia’s main protagonist in its upcoming line of smartphones. The McLaren is set to release late this year, bringing along a whole new line-up of Microsoft and Nokia co-created smartphones.
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