Maybe it was the odd shape of the device.  Perhaps it was the inflated price point and monthly fee.  Maybe it was just a lack of focus.  Whatever the reason, it is now looking more and more like Microsoft’s latest brainchild is turning out to be a stillbirth. A mere six weeks after their much hyped launch, the Kin is now an ex-Kin.  Microsoft did not just kill this phone, they completely destroyed it, merging the group which had been responsible for the Kin into the Windows Phone 7 group, putting all of their new, untested Windows Phone 7 basket.

Personally, I was not surprised that the Kin failed.  I do not think Microsoft ever truly knew what they wanted to do with this one.  It felt a lot Microsoft was just tossing whatever parts they could find against the wall to see what stuck.  As you might expect, they ended up with an undecipherable mess.  Somewhere in there, I think they had a good idea, but it was simply lost amongst the garbage.  This lack of focus extended to their core target audience…or lack thereof.  Microsoft just could not decide whether this phone was geared toward social networking teenagers, smartphone fans, Motoblur alternatives, or something else.  Again, they ended up with an all of the above marketing strategy, which ended up appearing to be none of the above.

Hopefully, Microsoft will learn from the lessons of the Kin later this year when they launch Windows Phone 7.  A clearly defined purpose and target audience will be critical to the success of Microsoft’s soon-to-be flagship phones.  Until then, rest in peace, Microsoft Kin, we hardly knew you, and maybe it is better that way.

[news and image via Gizmodo]