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When Microsoft released the original Kinect for Xbox 360, hackers were able to tweak it and plug it into their PCs before soon. However, such liberties won’t be possible with the next-generation Kinect that will arrive with Xbox One, says Microsoft.

Evidently, Microsoft doesn’t want developers to tinker with the new Kinect and has shipped it with a proprietary connector. Thanks to this connector, the Kinect unit can’t be plugged into a PC. The company has further stated that it has no plans of offering an adapter which may support cross-platform use of Kinect.

But the developers ought not lose heart since the next-generation Kinect for Windows will also ship with more or less the same capabilities. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, “The new generation Kinect for Windows sensor will be a fully tested, licensed, and supported Kinect experience on Windows. Kinect for Xbox One is being built for and tested with the Xbox One.”

Such limitations may not be able to stop the developers though. Even if the Xbox One Kinect ships with a special connector, developers may be able to devise an adapter which can help them plug the unit into their PCs. Microsoft certainly doesn’t approve of it and has categorically stated that the Xbox One Kinect is “not licensed for commercial use, supported, or under warranty when used on any other platform, including Windows.”

Evidently, the company is trying to keep the Windows Kinect and the one meant for Xbox One as two different entities. This essentially hints that the two may pack slightly different technologies.

Source: Arstechnica

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