Microsoft Abandons Kin

[gTen]

We're learning this afternoon that Microsoft's Kin line, for all practical purposes, is riding off into the sunset just a few short weeks after its release. Sources close to Microsoft tell us that Andy Lees has rolled Kin into the Windows Phone 7 team and has canceled the existing product's launch later this year in Europe on news that sales weren't as strong as expected. Speaking of sales, Verizon's already-launched Kin One and Kin Two are soldiering on for the time being, but for how long is anyone's guess. Here's Microsoft's official statement:

"We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned. Additionally, we are integrating our KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating valuable ideas and technologies from KIN into future Windows Phone releases. We will continue to work with Verizon in the U.S. to sell current KIN phones."

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/m...t-kin-is-dead/


Update: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/30/what-killed-the-kin/


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They have merged it into the WP7 tree from now on..but at the same time shows how out of touch M$ really is to the reality of things...This also does not look good for WP7..if they mess it up, they will end up paying for it greatly after giving up most of its core to Android for no reason...

[orangekid]

translation:

kin = epic failure, we suck, hopefully iphone jr.. erm we mean winpho7 won't tank.

[redd214]

wow! m$ spent 500milly buying danger, 2 years of research produced the kin phones and they scrapped them after 2 months on the market!!! i admit the phones are simply awful and are very very confusing to use even for a phone guy like me. im thinking some people at microsoft better be getting their resumes together becuase $500million aquisition + 2 years of work + only 2 months on store shelves = heads rolling!

i know many people will point at verizon's data plan as the cause of the demise but microsoft shouldve known better. than to go to verizon with these feature phones on steroids. i love verizon but i will be the first to admit the do nickel and dime. these phones wouldve been better suited for boost mobile or virgin mobile imo.

[gTen]

Well I don't even see why make it "exclusive" to verizon? or verizon wouldn't take them unless they were...cause they should have been on all networks and as a FREE phone...

But they are "merging" it into the WP7..aka they taking a failed product and merging it into another product hoping it wont fail the same >.>

Thats why I said before, M$ innovation has been dead for a long time, they don't understand the current market at all, and dropping their user base just like that, and lastly, dumb announcements...

I will give 1 advice to M$..if you want a remote chance of WP7 succeeding..rename it the Zune Phone or ZPhone..etc...Windows Phone 7 = dead...people will associate it with "computers" and those that want a pc in their pocket will be disappointed, while those that don't won't touch it...

[redd214]

i agree with u there man. when i hear the word "windows" i think of pcs and winmo which is not the best associations for the majority of the market. you would think with the completly breaking off in the os and the software they would do the same with the name and try to create a new brand rather than a remake of a failed one. did u read the follow up article on engadget? looks like theres some fighting from within as well. microsoft better get their shit together!

[gTen]

Originally Posted by redd214

i agree with u there man. when i hear the word "windows" i think of pcs and winmo which is not the best associations for the majority of the market. you would think with the completly breaking off in the os and the software they would do the same with the name and try to create a new brand rather than a remake of a failed one. did u read the follow up article on engadget? looks like theres some fighting from within as well. microsoft better get their shit together!

I saw this coming...I felt that WP7 was trying to be linked in with the windows 8 based on what I heard it seemed conceptually similar...

And again this goes into me saying before that as things are going M$ is gonna go out of business...

But if what the updated article says is true, they should have released kin 18month ago..if they did I could have seen it as a not to bad phone..but at this point the market has matured far too much for such a device to break into the market.

This goes same for WP7, from the info that is available..it brings very little to the table...

And they should have released courier instead of releasing kin now...

Lastly..goign sour with verizon is a bad move..AT&T will be hugging iPhone all the way..which leaves Sprint and T-Mobile...T-mobile is junk for launching a brand..if anything Verizon is what gave Android its name...This leaves Sprint as M$ only hope...but they may end up like another Palm Pre....

[redd214]

exactly the market is way different from when they shouldve dropped the kins. i can go into a verizon store and get a free pixi plus w/free wifi hotspot, a pre plus for 50 bucks, i can get a very nice android powered lg ally for 50 bucks or i could get a kin phone for the same price and the same plan WTF were they thinking?!?

[austin420]

all winmo phone owners who are looking forward to winfone7...[-o<thats the 3 emoticons evoked.
and i was so about to join the wp7 militia, damn...

[Dr.8820]

i'm not throwing the towel in just yet..

[mindfrost82]

Published, thanks!

http://www.ppcgeeks.com/2010/07/01/s...microsoft-kin/