Andre Yoskowitz
7 Nov 2010 1:50
CultofMac is reporting today that Apple was first offered the technology behind the newly launched Kinect motion control system, but they were too much of a "pain in the ass" for a deal to work.
The site reports of a flight from Europe to San Francisco where the editor had a chance to meet with Inon Beracha, the CEO of PrimeSense, the company behind Kinect's motion control tech.
Engineers in the Israeli military created the technology and Beracha was trying to find a big time partner to commercialize it. The company expected it to "revolutionize" gaming and computer interfaces.
PrimeSense was shopping the tech in 2008, and went first to Apple, who seemed like a "natural" fit.
However, Apple, in Apple-esque fashion, asked Beracha to sign tons of NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) and legal agreements which the CEO would not agree to, saying the tech was "so hot" he could sell it to anyone.
"Apple is a pain in the ass," he concluded, with a smile.