Kin Phones Dropped

Less than two months after Kin smartphones went on sale, Microsoft has cancelled a scheduled platform update and European launch with carrier Vodafone and reassigned the Kin team to Windows Phone 7, a consumer smartphone platform slated for release later in 2010. Verizon, the exclusive distributor of Kin in the United States, will continue to sell the phones until its current stock is gone. The abrupt turnaround highlights the confused state of Microsoft’s mobile and embedded business, but Kin’s cancellation simplifies the picture slightly and could reassure Phone 7 partners of Microsoft’s commitment to that platform.

What Went Wrong

Although Microsoft was an early pioneer in smartphone OSs, its Windows Mobile platform has stagnated in recent years as the consumer smartphone market has exploded. In 2008, Microsoft revamped its mobile strategy to recapture its leadership position, splitting mobile phone platform development into parallel tracks.

The first platform to emerge from this change was Windows Phone 7, introduced in Feb. 2010 and slated for release in fall 2010. Phone 7 is the direct successor to Windows Mobile but features a new interface, more restrictive hardware specifications, and a different application platform. As with earlier versions of Windows Mobile, Phone 7 will support third-party applications; will be licensed to multiple handset makers, who will sell the phones through multiple wireless carriers; and will have functions for business users, such as mobile versions of Office and Outlook and connectivity to SharePoint Server.