Ever since the Microsoft KIN devices were announced and eventually launched, they received underwhelming reviews from bloggers and consumers alike. Whether it was the pricing, the ability of the phones (or lack their of) or the data plans that accompanied the phones, you rarely heard people talk about how excited they were about their new KIN.
Just a few weeks ago we heard reports that only 500 KINS were ever sold, and though there has yet to be any confirmation on actual sales figures, it's not particularly surprising to hear that the KIN is officially dead. According to a Gizmodo source "close to Microsoft," the company is officially pulling the plug on the project and integrating the KIN team with the Windows Phone 7 team (lets hope that doesn't bring Windows 7 down a notch).
If you bought a KIN (sorry) you will still get support for your device, but who knows what kind of software updates will be available in the future. If it makes you feel any better, Microsoft released an official statement, though it's not particularly comforting to those who just spent money on a device that has absolutely no future, and is still costing a fortune on a monthly basis.
"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."
Apparently Microsoft and Verizon will be trying to get the current stock off the shelves, but buyer beware! Let me ask you this, would you rather deal with the Android fragmentation problem or no further development at all? It seems pretty black and white, but I'll let you be the judge!
Via Gizmodo
