Microsoft has decided not to launch the Kin One and Kin Two in the UK – and has decided to scrap the whole project altogether.
TechRadar was present at the launch of the Kin phones in San Francisco in May, where Microsoft was very bullish about this new product category, which even had its name on it.
We're now worried that we're bad omens, as Microsoft has issued the following statement, confirming that the Kin phone project will be rolled into Windows Phone 7 amid rumours of poor handset sales:
"We have made the decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 and we will not ship KIN in Europe this fall as planned.
Rolling in the Kin
"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."
The Kin One and Kin Two packed a lot of high-tech hardware into a phone that was primarily aimed at students and those in their early twenties... consumers Microsoft had decided were the most likely to be social network addicts, really.
Sales must have been awful for the project to be scrapped six weeks into launch – a shame we're never going to get to see them over here then.
Your comments (6) Click to add a new comment
windymiller
July 2nd 2010
6. Well done nitrofail.We get that you did the same joke as post 3 :b
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nitrofan
July 2nd 2010
5. This is no surprise to me at all, but it is a shame I was so looking forward to the forums alive with "my Kin Phone does not work" and "Kin Phones Rubbish"
You probably wont get it if your not English.
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smokemonster
July 1st 2010
4. When will MS learn that they just aren't very good at making hardware and the MS name is a turn off.
They really are on the ropes though aren't they; Zune is nowhere to be seen outside US, their mobile OS is ridiculed, their phone has been scrapped, they are losing ground on the browser battle and it won't be long before the home PC/laptop market dries up too as people move to Apple or Android tablets.
MS slowly dying, they are a dinosaur struggling to evolve while the mammals race past them.
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lovlid
July 1st 2010
3. What a 'Kin shame. I was 'Kin looking forward to seeing this 'Kin phone.
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shadowtd
July 1st 2010
2. I liked the look of the Kin - it looked to have some genuine appeal to the demographic they were attempting to hit. But from what I hear they were charging silly money for the required data plan (and even the phone in the first place). There were also some massive glaring omissions - a phone designed to keep you in touch with all your FB/Twitter groupies that lacks a calender. Hmm.
Hopefully, the slick social networking aggregation will live on in WP7.
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nebulaoperator
July 1st 2010
1. by looks: something between ugly phone and bad photoshop attempt.
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