It looks like the next major push for both Microsoft and Apple will be motion sensing hardware. Most people were introduced to this type of hardware when Microsoft released their Xbox Kinetic a few years ago. We ran an article earlier this year about Leap Motion’s gesture controller but now it seems as if this tech will be the new battle ground.

At a recent conference, Microsoft’s head of devices, Julie Larson-Green, stated that “hardware innovation” would be the key for Microsoft, hinting at future developments with Kinect’s voice-recognition system. “There will be another inflection point and it’s going to come from the hardware input model,” she said. “So that’s why you’ve seen us doing things with Kinect, with gesture. You see us doing things with voice. There’s one coming. And all the things have to come together.”

Just as Microsoft were stating that this was their strategy to differentiate themselves from thie competition Apple bought PrimeSense, the motion sensor firm behind the first Kinect camera, in a deal reportedly worth $350 million.

Whilst it is thought that Apple is more focused on the company’s motion sensor technology for its rumoured TV set it is thought it could be looking at embeding the smaller sensors into future iPad or iPhone models.

However, any application will likely take some time to materialise. Apple’s acquisition of fingerprint sensor company AuthenTec in 2012, took more than a year to bear fruit in the form of the iPhone 5s.

Regardless, of which way the companies go it looks as if gesture control is going to be a major emphasis for both companies over the coming years.