Microsoft is reportedly working on new webcams with 4k sensors and Windows Hello. In any case, a model must be compatible with both Windows 10 and the Xbox One. The latter could mean that users without Kinect can still log in with their face.
The message finds its way out through Paul Thurrott, known for his connections within the world of Microsoft. Two different sources report the same news to him. It would be the first webcam with Windows Hello support that Microsoft itself brings to the market. To date, users have to rely on a handful of webcams from Intel, Razer and Logitech. The function is also in the webcams of the Surface computers.
The webcam that works on the Xbox One may become a replacement for the Kinect, which Microsoft no longer makes. One of the features of that accessory is that users are automatically recognized when they come into the Kinect’s field of view. After that an automatic sign-in takes place, even with multiple users at the same time. However, since the Kinect has been discontinued, it is more difficult to get this function in-house. Thurrott’s sources state that the webcams should hit the market sometime in 2019.
Microsoft Lifecam Studio, one of Microsoft’s existing webcams, from 2011