The Xbox One has only been on store shelves for six months, but Microsoft is already taking action to try to close the sales gap held by Sony’s PlayStation 4. Microsoft recently announced that the Xbox One will soon be available without the Kinect camera for $399 – the same price as the PlayStation 4. Microsoft also announced that you’ll no longer need a $60 yearly subscription to Xbox Live Gold to access media apps like Netflix or Hulu. And, if you WERE paying for an Xbox Live Gold subscription just to access those apps, Microsoft said it will issue pro-rated refunds to anyone who cancels their subscription by the end of August. We’re still in the very early stages of this video game console cycle, but slower-than-expected console sales forced Microsoft’s hand. So if you’ve been waiting to buy Microsoft’s latest and greatest and don’t think you’ll want or use the Kinect, the $399 version of the console will hit store shelves on June 9.
About Shelly Palmer
Named one of LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices in Technology, Shelly Palmer is CEO of The Palmer Group, a strategic advisory, technology solutions and business development practice focused at the nexus of media and marketing with a special emphasis on machine learning and data-driven decision-making. He is Fox 5 New York's on-air tech and digital media expert, writes a weekly column for AdAge, and is a regular commentator on CNBC and CNN. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com or subscribe to our daily email http://ow.ly/WsHcb
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