RIP Microsoft Kin
Microsoft takes focus off new phone targeted at teenagers.
June 30, 2010— -- Microsoft has decided to kill off the Kin, two Microsoft-branded phones targeted at teenager users, we have confirmed.
The Kin, formerly known as "Project Pink," was revealed in April and lauched on the Verizon network in May. However, ominous signs emerged for the phone's demise after Microsoft cut the price of the Kin in half.
However, it doesn't look like it was enough — the Kin until will be folded into the Windows Phone 7 team after abysmal sales and millions of dollars lost in R&D and marketing.
Here is Microsoft's official statement on the Kin:
"Microsoft has made the decision to focus on the Windows Phone 7 launch and 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."
While the Kin isn't going away completely, it's clear that the Kin has not met expectations and Microsoft is shifting resources elsewhere.