Zune Music Pass, Kinect voice hit Australia in Nov., Dec.
updated 01:20 pm EDT, Wed October 26, 2011
Limited control of games will be enabled tomorrow
Microsoft has said will soon be bringing its Zune Music Pass service and enhanced Kinect voice control to its Australian gamers. Zune will be available starting November 16. The Kinect voice menu is expected to be fully functional by mid-December.
The Zune service will make a library of 11 million songs available to subscribers using their Xbox 360, Windows PC, or Windows Phone. The pass will cost $12 (AU$) per month or $120 annually. Microsoft has yet to clarify whether or not users can purchase songs or albums individually without a subscription, although it isn't expected immediately.
The Kinect began shipping in Australia last November with voice control deactivated. At the time, Microsoft explained that it was working on getting the appliance to work accurately with diverse Australian regional dialects. Voice control for games will actually be enabled starting tomorrow. Control over additional apps, including entertainment viewing, will be available in December.
One or both features may be clues to when the fall Xbox 360 Dashboard is available, since Australia may need one or both to get the full feature set. December is the most likely, since the voice control needs the newer Dashboard update where Zune music can exist on other platforms. [via Gizmodo]
