History Microsoft Kin

1 history

1.1 development
1.2 unveiling
1.3 discontinuation
1.4 comeback

history
development

the kin 2 shown closed.

the kin project first known codename project pink, , began under direction of microsoft executive j allard. in order gain head start, microsoft acquired danger incorporated, built danger hiptop/t-mobile sidekick, in 2008 purchase price rumored around us$500 million. in september 2009, zdnet source reported project pink bring entirely new software stack , services. reports predicted new mobile phone platform based on zune media device. project managed roz ho, coined project name, pink , favorite color. engineers , project managers used twitter hash tag #tmdp communicate in code 1 another—the acronym expands truly, madly, (pink) roz ho s favorite movie , project name. engineers told should feel passion project, truly, madly, . when milestones reached or there successful test, roz ho cheer team on exclaiming truly, madly, in meetings or emails.

kin developed inside microsoft s premium mobile experiences (pmx) division group included employees danger. handset manufacturers , network carriers said enthusiastic kin, , vying each other involved project.

according engadget, there jealousy , rivalry in microsoft s executive ranks, , windows phone senior vice president andy lees managed wrest control of kin project away allard, , move under windows phone division. danger s sidekick, predecessor kin, based on java programming language, engadget says andy lees wanted kin run in-house microsoft operating system. microsoft planned base kin on windows phone. due delays windows phone, however, software instead had based directly upon windows ce.

engadget claims andy lees lacked enthusiasm kin project. nonetheless, microsoft spent further 2 years developing kin until release in 2010.

unveiling

the unveiling of microsoft kin began when company sent out invitations select reporters mystery event in san francisco on april 12, 2010. tagline on invitation said s time share . however, hours later source confirmed event project pink (the official name not having been announced yet). event held in night club called mighty , featured presentation given robbie bach, president of microsoft s entertainment , device division.

microsoft criticized online video advertisement phone depicted male teenager putting kin under shirt photograph naked chest. shown sending image female teenager. consumer reports group described advertisement downright creepy sequence, suggesting promoted sexting. in response, microsoft deleted inappropriate portion of video.

discontinuation

kin suffered poor sales. microsoft executives told new york times dismayed verizon wireless staff not promoting phones actively enough. after forty-eight days on market, microsoft discontinued kin line on june 30, 2010 , mid-july 2010 verizon had returned unsold phones microsoft. planned european release on uk carrier vodafone canceled.

“the kin mistake day one,” rob enderle, principal analyst of enderle group, told eweek magazine. “the time took convert kin sidekick platform windows ce made year , half late market, , merger added year , half. that’s 1.5 3 years late depending on when start clock.”

comeback

on november 18, 2010 verizon wireless s website confirmed kin 1 , kin 2 on market reworked feature phone operating system, re-badged kin onem , kin twom. since new phone did not use kin.com website did not require data plan. new version of phone arrived @ verizon stores in december of year. along names , changed classification feature phones rather smartphones, prices of devices slashed, kin onem reduced $50 free, , kin twom reduced $100 $50, new two-year contract.

the new feature phone os removed web-based , social networking integration features such kin loop, kin spot, , kin studio. newer m phones (identified m next model number , 2 yellow dots on corners) downgraded original firmware version via holding r , b , , power upon turning on device (a procedure erases phone s stored data , settings).

the kin.com website discontinued on january 2011, , user pictures , other information stored on website deleted. verizon offered free trade-in 3g smartphone affected phone owners. after kin website shut down, original kin 1 , 2 lost access same social features removed onem , twom, making them feature phones did not require data plan.