Future Windows Phones could have Kinect-like gesture controls

Yes, the Lumia 930 and 1520 are fine Windows Phones, but where’s the sequel to the fan favorite, the 1020? Apparently, it’s coming, and it’s bringing a clever control scheme along for the ride. Sources for both WPCentral and The Verge claim that Microsoft’s future Lumia hardware, nicknamed McLaren, will incorporate both a giant camera and “3D Touch” that uses motion gestures to control the phone without poking at the screen. We’ve seen some of the rumored concepts elsewhere; you can cover the phone to mute it, or bring it to your ear to answer. Others, however, are unique. McLaren will reportedly react to your grip, and will let you see features ‘hidden’ inside a Live Tile by making a tapping motion that doesn’t touch the glass.

Microsoft is trying to cram Kinect-like features into its future flagship Windows Phone handsets. At least one device, codenamed McLaren, will debut on a range of US carriers later this year with features that let you hover your finger over the screen to interact with games and applications without ever touching the display. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the technology, known internally as 3D Touch or Real Motion, has been developed by Nokia over a number of years. Evleaks first unveiledthe existence of Nokia McLaren, and we understand the device will largely be seen as a Lumia 1020 successor with a similar hump in the rear casing for a powerful camera. The unique aspect of McLaren will be the number of sensors on the device to make way for the 3D Touch system. While Microsoft is reaching out to top developers to support the new system with apps and games, 3D Touch will be unique to its own devices and will not be available initially on handsets from Samsung, HTC, among others. Features like answering calls by holding the phone to your ear will be supported, along with the ability to set the phone down on a table to enable speakerphone, or to hang up a call by placing it in your pocket. Phones that support 3D Touch will use a number of hardware sensors to allow devices to mute when they are covered by a hand or held to a chest, or to dismiss alerts by waving a hand in front of the screen.