Dis-Kin-Tinued: Microsoft’s Social Phone is Dead

By  |  Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 2:33 pm

Microsoft is confirming for us what you may have already read elsewhere: after only two short months on the market, the Microsoft Kin line has officially been killed. Here’s the 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.”

While the Kin certainly made some waves when Verizon cut the prices of the phones in half just two days ago, I figured Microsoft would give the device some time to see if it catches on. Sales for this device must have just been so dismal that it wasn’t even worth it to give it a chance, which is a shame because at least I saw it having some potential.

What happens to the work done on Kin–which cost Microsoft millions–remains to be seen. I hope that the Kin team will be able to merge some of their work with what the Windows Phone 7 team is already doing so all is not lost. But to those with Kins, however few of you that may be, it may mean you’re already stuck with an orphaned phone almost immediately after you bought it.

That sucks.

Here’s a question for Microsoft, if you were so quick to dump the Kin, why aren’t you doing the same with Zune? Hell, that thing has gone on far past the time it should have been put out of its misery. With Apple controlling just about every facet of the digital music industry, its about time you made the right choice there.

Zune was given more than enough chances. I’d argue the Kin wasn’t afforded the same luxury, and that’s a crying shame.

 
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7 Comments For This Post

  1. Relyt Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    I disagree with your connection to the Zune. I am a proud Zune HD owner and believe that it is the best MP3 player out there. There is a huge following of the Zune online – anythingbutipod.com had a large Zune community, for example – and to say that the Zune "has gone on far past the time it should have been put out of its misery" is, to me anyways, a highly opinionated statement showing no sign of actual facts to back it up. Kin supposedly only sold 500 while Zune is over 20 million

  2. Alan Ralph Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    I guess there are more supporters of Zune inside of Microsoft than there were for the Kin. *shrug*

  3. David Worthington Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 11:26 pm

    I just saw a commercial for it today!

  4. Relyt Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 1:02 am

    @Alan: yeah, probably.

    lol looking back I probably was a bit too intense on that first post, but I guess that's why it's called INTENSEdebate

  5. David Worthington Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 2:31 pm

    I used a Microsoft exec's Zune HD when I was at TechEd, and was shocked at how much that I liked it. It is a very high quality MP3 player.

  6. Ed Oswald Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 8:30 am

    Doesn’t matter David how good of a device it is. I liked the Kin. But it didn’t sell, and really neither is the Zune.

  7. Useable Technology Says:
    July 2nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm

    am a proud Zune HD owner and believe that it is the best MP3 player out there.I guess there are more supporters of Zune inside of Microsoft than there were for the Kin.
    Useable Technology

14 Trackbacks For This Post

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    July 1st, 2010 at 2:13 pm

    [...]  |  Posted at 2:13 pm on Thursday, July 1, 2010 Yesterday it was the Microsoft Kin that got the axe. Today, its a much more popular phone that is riding off into the sunset. T-Mobile said Thursday [...]

  2. Kin Recriminations, Kintinued Says:
    July 7th, 2010 at 12:35 pm

    [...]  |  Posted at 12:35 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2010 At the briefings I attended on the Kin, Microsoft execs repeatedly made the point that the Kin was for young, highly social people. The [...]

  3. Long It Won’t Wave: Google Axes Wave Says:
    August 4th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

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  4. To Thine Own Self Be True Says:
    September 17th, 2010 at 10:06 am

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    October 11th, 2010 at 10:15 am

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    [...] Mobile 6.5–and I can’t believe the same company released this and the poor, benighted Kin in the same [...]

  7. They’re Baaaaaaaaaack! Says:
    November 18th, 2010 at 3:55 pm

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    February 26th, 2011 at 8:14 am

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  11. Will — and Should — Microsoft Sell its Own Tablet? « Breaking News « Theory Report Says:
    June 11th, 2011 at 7:36 am

    [...] sell outward of accessories such as mice and (of course) software. The Zune song player and a Microsoft Kin phone are dual of a many important [...]

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    [...] retail outside of accessories such as mice and (of course) software. The Zune music player and the Microsoft Kin phone are two of its most notable failures. If Digitimes’ rumor is the real deal, I think Microsoft [...]

  13. A Failure of Microsoft Marketing - Zatz Not Funny! Says:
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  14. A Failure of Microsoft Marketing Says:
    October 21st, 2011 at 11:53 am

    [...] However, Microsoft once again blew another opportunity. Surely they knew another iPhone was in the pipeline along with some software surprises. Why not rally the troops (carriers and manufacturers), and throw an Apple-esque event introducing Windows Phone 7.5 (aka Mango) with some specific details on new hardware. As it stands, there’s no telling when HTC handsets will be arriving on US shores and even less information on Nokia’s plans. Another missed opportunity as the various entities continue to operate in their various silos, without strong leadership/direction from Microsoft, while iPhones continue to fly off shelves. Perhaps it’s just not a priority for Microsoft given their growing bounty of Android licensing fees… and, hey, Windows Phone 7 sales have already bested the short-lived Kin. [...]