I usually don't comment on these sort of things, but it is my personal opinion that removing the Kinect in order to achieve price point parity with Sony is a horrible idea. Perhaps almost as bad as the rumored disc-less based option.
Microsoft has been parading the unique features of the Xbox One since last year, while simultaneously bragging about how advanced the Kinect 2.0 is and how the entire OS was built around it. As a Day One adopter of the PS4 and the Xbone, removing the Kinect would be a slap in the face of people like me who shelled out $500 for the system due to the "mandatory" Kinect that we were told games would soon take advantage of. It would fragment the market, and people soon realize that even with price parity, the PS4 is a more powerful system. In other words, doing such a thing would remove the only thing that makes the Xbone unique.
I totally understand that many people hate and don't want the Kinect, which is why I thought removing the mandate that stated it had to be always on, always listening, and always connected was a good idea. I think Microsoft should just figure out other ways to make the system more enticing to prospective buyers, even if it means taking a loss. A digital pack -in ala Wii U would be a good start. Maybe offer the same Xbone at $400 with a DD of Forza 5 or Dead Rising 3. Or maybe one with Titanfall for $450 during the summer.
