Microsoft reportedly planning 4K Windows Hello webcam for Windows 10, Xbox

MS logo (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

As Surface chief Panos Panay continues to hint at new hardware opportunities for the brand's future, it sounds like Microsoft may already have at least one in the cards: a 4K webcam. According to a new report from Thurrott, Microsoft is planning a family of webcams, with the primary focus going towards a 4K camera with Windows Hello authentication on board.

What's more, the webcam is also said to be built to work with both Windows 10 and Xbox One.

For Windows 10 users, such a webcam would enable Windows Hello authentication for any PC, helping it to break from its current confines of laptops that happen to ship with a compatible IR camera on board. When connected to an Xbox One, the camera could also support automatic sign-ins, allowing gamers to log in by stepping in front of the camera. Other friends or family members will be able to join in on the action by doing the same, Thurrott reports.

According to the report, this new family of webcams will include one focused on enterprise users, as well.

This isn't the first indication we've heard in recent times that Microsoft may be toying with the idea of releasing a webcam. In an October interview, Panos Panay pointed towards the Surface Hub 2's USB-C webcam as something that could inspire a broader product push under the Surface brand.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.