Microsoft Corp sold more than 8 million of its Xbox Kinect motion-sensing game system in its first 60 days since launch, outpacing its target of 5 million and outshining Sony Corp's competing Move.

The Japanese electronics maker sold 4.1 million units of its Move, which like the Kinect tracks body gestures for video games, in its first two months. However, that figure did not take into account the peak December holiday shopping month.

Sony launched the Move controller -- a wand-like device that allows users to control on-screen gaming action -- in September in North America and in October in Japan. The device costs $50 for the controller or $400 bundled with a PlayStation 3. Microsoft's Kinect, launched in early November, costs $150 or $300 bundled with a 4 gigabyte Xbox console.

Chief Executive Steve Ballmer also told the Consumer Electronics Show that Sprint and Verizon Wireless will begin carrying phones based on its fledgling Windows Phone 7 operating software from this year's first half.

(Reporting by Bill Rigby; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

Japan Steve Ballmer Sprint Xbox