Engadget is reporting that the Kin is dead, even though the device was only released a few short months ago, and is still receiving updates.
Sources close to Microsoft have told Engadget that Andy Lees, Senior Vice President of Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business, has merged the Kin into the Windows Phone 7 team. They have also cancelled the Kin's Europe launch, which was scheduled for later this year, because sales weren't as strong as expected.
Microsoft released a press statement today saying that:
"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."
The Kin was only known by it's codename, "Project Pink", until a few months ago when it was unveiled at a press event in April of this year. The device is based on the Windows Phone 7 framework, and was aimed at teens and young adults in their early twenties, but failed to gain traction amongst users in the US after launch - it received only mediocre reviews, and was only available on select plans which were unpopular because they were expensive.
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