Microsoft has once again made a change to its Xbox One. They have already removed DRM and used games restrictions, now you no longer will be required to have Kinect connected for your Xbox One to function.
In a AMA session with IGN, Xbox Corporate VP Marc Whitten had this to say when asked about Kinect:
You have the ability to completely turn the sensor off in your settings. When in this mode, the sensor is not collecting any information. Any functionality that relies on voice, video, gesture or more won’t work. We still support using it for IR blasting in this mode. You can turn the sensor back on at any time through settings, and if you enter into a required Kinect experience (like Kinect Sports Rivals for instance), you’ll get a message asking if you want to turn the sensor back on in order to continue.
Microsoft should receive credit for their response to onerous policies. While it is disconcerning that they seem to be unaware of what their core audience wants, they are making a concerted effort to fix their mistakes.