Goodbye Microsoft KIN, We Hardly Knew Ye

By: Travis Harvey (Illinois State University)

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Finally those commercials about people meeting their networks can finally end! Thank goodness because they were beginning to get a little on the creepy side. I’m all for knowing everyone you’re Facebook friends with, but actually going to meet some random stranger is dangerous.  Think of all the freaks who you could meet on a daily basis. Let’s be real, Microsoft will keep the ads running so they can sell the remaining KIN units, so no hope yet.

The Microsoft KIN boasts being the only phone with the Loop and the Spot, where all the updates you care about come together. Well obviously Microsoft didn’t realize people don’t care all that much. The KIN which is a Verizon Wireless phone had its price slashed and now is slowly being phased out.  Original sales lacked and now it shows.

Here’s the official statement released by Microsoft:

“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.”

What they’re basically saying is teenagers and 20-somethings didn’t respond as well as expected to the KIN and now they’re going to cut their losses. Classy, Microsoft, classy… I think the concept of the phone was cool, but the marketing strategy they went with just didn’t work.  Let’s all take a moment of silence for the KIN, you were short lived and there are many more out there like you so… I guess you’ll be missed, probably not though.

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