Microsoft to formally release Kinect for Windows SDK September 15, Windows Phone team involved too?

Let's file this under "rumors" for the time being. We know Microsoft doesn't have a great track record of keeping secrets, and China has been one major source of leaks. Combine the two factors, here comes another interesting leak.

The chaps at WPDang, the Chinese Windows Phone site who has been reasonably accurate on Microsoft leaks, state that the Redmond gang will be releasing the final version of Kinect for Windows SDK around September 15. Interesting timing, right after the Windows Phone 8 launch, and before the holy coming of Windows 8. What's most amusing is that according to WPDang's sources, Windows Phone division is involved in the development of Kinect for Windows SDK too...

If this turns out to be true, what are they doing there? Let's reason it out. There's just no way to physically cram a Kinect into a Windows Phone--not yet at least. And there can't possibly be any "Kinect for Windows Phone" scenario, because the motion sensor doesn't even come with a standard connector. Well, even if connector is not a problem, personally I doubt if anyone would ever want to hook up a Kinect (pretty much stationary device) to a Windows Phone (definitely mobile device).

Therefore I reckon the most likely answer is that certain Kinect *technology*, meaning some functions and features in software form, might be carried onto future Windows Phones, and programmers will be able to utilize the technology with a standard SDK. This is not entirely impossible. At least a mobile phone has a camera for simple motion detection and shape sensing, and a microphone for voice dictation. We would welcome features like face recognition on a phone.

Another, more reasonable interpretation would be the ability for developers to use Windows Phone with Kinect, akin to what was demoed way back in early 2011 with the Xbox 360.

True or false, we will know it soon enough. The supposed date is only about half a month away. Do you want scaled-down Kinect features on your phone? Or do you feel it too gimmicky to be worth the trouble? Let us know in the comment field below.

Source: WPDang