Microsoft announced it's dropped the price of the Xbox 360 voice and hands-free motion control sensor Kinect from $149.99 to $109.99.
The 27 percent price drop is ahead of the holiday shopping season.
"There will be also a permanently reduced price in North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions where Kinect is sold," said Larry Hryb, director of Xbox Live programming in a blog post about the reduced pricing. "Additionally, on October 4, the Kinect sensor will be available for a permanently reduced price in Australia and New Zealand."
Hryb also said that Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia will not have any reduction in its prices. The Kinect was launched in November 2010. Users can control and interact with Xbox 360 relying only on gestures and voice without the need for a game controller.
Nearly 18 million Kinect units were shipped since its introduction Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said. Microsoft reducing its price is a move to counter the arrival of Nintendo's Wii U which will be launched this fall reported USA Today.
Microsoft has given a toolkit for Windows that will help developers create apps that will help Kinect for Windows. It has other industries like Toyota, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Razorfish who have partnered to develop pilot projects around Kinect reported InformationWeek.
There is a Guinness World Record in Kinect's name for being the "fastest selling consumer electronics device."
