Microsoft to offer Kinect-less Xbox at lower price

Microsoft said Tuesday it would sell a reduced-price version of itsXbox One console without the Kinect motion detection system.The move comes with Microsoft locked in a tough battle with Sony, which has beenleading the game console market with its next-generation PlayStation 4.The Xbox One without Kinect will be sold starting June 9 for $399, the same price asthe PS4, according to a blog post by Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox division. "Your feedback matters to us and it shapes the products and services we build,"Spender said, adding that the console will still "deliver access to the bestblockbuster games" and a range of other content.Microsoft said in April it had sold five million of the Xbox One consoles since lastyear's launch, well below the seven million PS4s sold by Sony.One of the reasons cited by analysts was the $100 price difference between the twodevices.The Xbox One with the Kinect voice control and motion detection will remain at$499."We’ve heard that you want more choices from Xbox One," Spender said."You want a wide variety of options in your games and entertainment experiencesand you also want options in your hardware selection."Spender said the company will offer the Kinect sensor as an add-on for buyers whodecide they want that option later.The Xbox One is being sold in 39 countries and is set to launch in China later this year.