Photo: Microsoft

Not that we endorse inter-family violence, but Microsoft has announced that it has abandoned its Microsoft Kin One and Microsoft Kin Two social phones. The company is attributing the product culling to wanting to focus on Windows Phone 7 Series, but it appears weak sales are to blame.

Short life

A mere two months after being launched, the Microsoft Kin One and Microsoft Kin Two social phones aimed at teenagers will be discontinued. This means that the previously planned European launch for the duo of phones will no longer happen. Microsoft has announced that it is pulling the phone series because the company would rather focus on Windows Phone 7 Series, but the primary reason is believed to be soft sales. It is rumoured that, to date, Microsoft has only sold 500 units of its Kin phones.

Reason for the executive shake up?

With a corporation as large as Microsoft, in the event a major product release fails, usually someone gets blamed and, as the saying goes, heads roll. One will note that Microsoft Kin One and Microsoft Kin Two both belong to the Entertainment & Devices division previously headed up by Robbie Bach and evangelised by J. Allard. They have both left the company during this period, rekindling the rumours that they were let go, as opposed to leaving of their own accord.

Good idea

Microsoft’s decision to focus exclusively on Windows Phone 7 Series is a wise move on the Redmond Giant’s part, regardless of the cause. Not only are they displaying the kind of focus often called for from others, they’re displaying they haven’t underestimated the enormity of the task ahead of them. Once Windows Phone 7 is released, it will be going toe to toe with the iPhone 4 – a device selling as fast as they make them – and the Google Android lineup. Add to that the newfound energy – and financial power – Palm has with HP backing it, Windows Phone 7 Series isn’t taking a stroll in the park, and (next of) Kin would just be a distraction.