Back in April, we published an article about Microsoft’s latest social networking phones aimed at teenagers, the Kin One and Kin Two (See Kin Article). In it, we quoted JR Raphael of PC World (April 14), who said the phones aren’t equipped to meet the needs of avid, real-time, app-using social networkers.
Turns out he was right. Two weeks ago (June 30), Microsoft announced it was discontinuing the Kin phone line, less than two months after the phones hit store shelves.
“The Redmond, Wash., company said it won’t sell the existing Kin phones in Europe this fall as planned and that it will work with its sales partner, Verizon Wireless, to sell remaining U.S. inventories,” wrote Nick Wingfield of the Wall Street Journal (June 30).
“The company didn’t offer a reason for shelving the device, but people familiar with the matter say Kin didn’t meet sales expectations.”
The phones didn’t meet reviewers’ expectations either. Back on May 5, Joshua Topolsky of Engadget.com reviewed the Kin One and Two, and wrote:
“The Kin wasn’t designed for early adopters of the most cutting edge hardware – that’s obvious. What it was designed to do, however, was work really well doing a couple of key tasks, most of them centered around social networking, photos and video and some overarching concept of capturing your mobile/digital life in a whole new and easy manner. Lofty goals indeed for a product like this, and unfortunately for everyone, Microsoft missed the mark by a long shot. It’s not even close.”
Microsoft announced on June 30 that the developers who worked on the Kin phones would join the Windows Phone 7 team, incorporating Kin concepts and technology into Microsoft’s upcoming mobile OS. “Despite some up-and-down reviews, Kin did have some redeeming qualities,” wrote Jared Newman of PC World (July 1).
Newman listed four Kin features that should be incorporated to Windows Phone 7:
1. Kin Studio. “The name would have to change, obviously, but automatic syncing of photos and video to a cloud server for easy PC access was one of Kin's most praised features. Windows Phone 7 will reach a larger audience than Kin, which could pose a challenge in terms of server space, but if Microsoft can offer Windows Live SkyDrive and Windows Live Sync for PC users, surely it can make room for mobile.”
2. Drag-and-Drop Media. “Known on the Kin as ‘The Spot’ – another name that needs to be scrapped – this feature let users drag photos, videos, websites, and status updates to a common location on the phone, where they could be sent via e-mail, MMS, or social network. This kind of fluidity is notably absent from the iPhone, which could give Microsoft at least one advantage.”
3. One Big, Fat Feed. “Windows Phone 7 will include a live feed of photos and social networking updates from your contacts, but what about blogs and Web sites? Kin's feed includes them as well, and Windows Phone 7 should find a way. There may be something chaotic about mashing RSS feeds and status updates into one long stream of data, but it's a great way to kill idle time – a skill at which any consumer-facing smartphone must excel.”
4. Distinctive Look. “Specs and features aside, what makes the iPhone, the Droid, and BlackBerry phones notable is how you can spot them from a mile away. The same is true of the Kin One, though I never saw one in the wild. I'm not saying Microsoft should use the Kin aesthetic for Windows Phone 7 – those designs are a little too funky for the masses – but it should at least encourage its hardware partners to avoid generic, uninspiring design.”
- newsletter@iQmetrix.com
* To read more about Recent Handset Releases, check out the following articles from iQmetrix News & Views:
Twitter Phones Coming to Japan
Samsung Galaxy S: Enhanced Gaming Capability
Handset Design: Square Shape or QWERTY Keyboards?
Verizon to Launch New Android Phone, the Devour
Google Launches First Branded Phone, Nexus One, Jan. 5