Kinect Is Back: Microsoft Unveils New Azure Kinect DK Camera

Since 2015, there hasn’t been much news from Microsoft when it came to the Kinect. Microsoft started releasing Xbox One consoles without the camera and there were fewer games being released that had Kinect functionality. However, following the HoloLens 2 reveal, the company has revealed the Kinect is back.

Coming via The Verge, Microsoft revealed the new Kinect during its HoloLens 2 reveal event at the Mobile World Congress. The new Kinect will be ditching the Xbox in favor of PC and is designed to work with Microsoft’s Azure platform.

The full name of the camera is the Azure Kinect DK and is considerably smaller than the original cameras developed for game consoles. The camera sports a 7-microphone array and an upgraded RGB camera that’s capable of 4K. It will also sport the same depth sensor as the HoloLens 2.

Microsoft will also be releasing new software development kits for developers to create new programs and apps for the Kinect. But because of the new architecture, previously released programs will not work on the new Kinect. Developers will be able to port those over to the new platform, but it will require the new SDKs in order for them to function properly.

Xbox owners should be aware that it won’t work on Xbox One. Microsoft has made an active effort to move it away from the gaming space to fit in with its new “third era of computing” efforts that includes HoloLens and Azure cloud. But if you're interested in the new iteration of the Kinect, it will be available soon for $399.