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When compared with the latest smartphone from Nokia, RIM, or Apple, Kin looked like children’s toys. Therefore, Kin only sold about 500 units in the last two months.

When Apple Inc. partying being able to sell 1.7 million units of iPhone 4 in just three days after the soft launch in the United States (U.S.) on June 24, 2010, Microsoft Corp. must bear the deep sorrow. The reason, Microsoft must stop selling the smartphone KIN. In fact, KIN is the first smartphone from Microsoft, which recently released in the U.S. premiere on May 6, 2010 and marketed by the cellular operator Verizon Wireless Inc.

Allegedly, Microsoft stopped production of Kin because smartphones are not selling. Business Insider Inc. predicted, Kin sales volume in the U.S. in the last two months is only around 500 units. When Market-Watch seeks to clarify that number to Microsoft, Microsoft Corp. spokeswoman Brandy Bishop did not confirm or deny that estimate.

Kin are not selling because smartphones can not compete against the products of the latest smartphone giants like Nokia Corp., Research In Motion (RIM) Ltd., and Apple. Because when compared to the latest smartphone from Nokia, RIM, or Apple, Kin looked like children’s toys.

Microsoft released Kin in two types, namely Kin Kin One and Two. Microsoft said Kin is a smartphone that prioritizes social networking functions. Therefore, Kin Kin One and Two features a QWERTY keyboard to make typing easier for users. Both phones have features of KIN is not too much different. KIN One dimension is more petite than Kin Two, because Kin One uses a touch screen measuring 2.6 inches, while Kin Two using the touch screen measuring 3.4 inches.

Other differences, Kin One comes five megapixel resolution digital camera, while Kin-resolution digital camera equipped Two 8 megapiksel.Kin Two also features an internal memory is bigger than Kin One, which is 8 GB and 4 GB of Two Kin to Kin One. As the latest generation of smartphones, Kin Kin One and Two satellite navigation system equipped with GPS (global positioning system). However, both of Kin was not equipped smartphone Wi-Fi connectivity.

The absence of Wi-Fi is just one of a series of oddity on Kin.PC World reported, KIN also does not support client applications IM (instant messaging) anything. This is a great irony in KIN. Because as a social networking smartphone, Kin should support as much as an IM client application. Moreover, Information Week adds, Kin also does not support videosharing services, including the world’s largest videosharing service YouTube. As a result, the competitiveness of Kin was down when compared with competing smartphone.

Due to all the limitations of Kin, the first smartphone that Microsoft was reaping a variety of criticism. Some even considered that Kin was not quite ‘intelligent’ to be called as a smartphone because it spelled out its features are minimal, when compared with the general circulation in the smartphone market. Kin also due to all the limitations, Microsoft’s first smartphone competitors such as drowning crushed the Black-Berry family and family an iPhone.

“Microsoft finally realized that Kin was a mistake. Since then, Microsoft quietly kill Kin, “said research firm analyst Matt Rosoff Directions on Microsoft, told Reuters.

Kin order to boost sales volume in the U.S., Microsoft and Verizon is already cut the price of KIN. In the first launching, KIN One is marketed at a price of USD 50 per unit and KIN Two of USD 100 per unit. Because of sluggish sales KIN, KIN One trimmed the price to $ 30 per unit and KIN Two to $ 50 per unit. However, massive price cuts proved fruitless. As a result, Microsoft would have no choice but to turn off the KIN.

Research firm Canalys Ltd. even considered, since the beginning Microsoft had made a big mistake when he decided to jump into the smartphone market by presenting the differentiation of social networking features. Canalys survey reveals, smartphone users really do not like accessing social networking smartphone. The reason, the smartphone is not able to serve the social networking features as complete as the computer. “Manufacturers must understand, success is determined by the ability of smartphones in the present ease of access of social networking features that most users are often exploited,” said Canalys senior analyst Pete Cunningham Ltd..

Therefore, Canalys confirms the competitiveness of the smartphone will improve if given additional features like IM, web browsing, and multimedia such as music, videos and games. Ironic, KIN just does not have some of these key features. Discontinuing production of KIN is part of a massive restructuring effort by Microsoft. In May 2010, the key figures behind KIN, namely President Entertainment & Devices Division, Robbie Bach, Microsoft Corp. and Senior Vice President Design & Development Entertainment & Devices Microsoft Corp. J Allard, has also resigned from Microsoft.

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer admitted satisfied with the performance of Bach and Allard for their work at Microsoft. However, it was speculated that Bach and Allard was forced to resign because the business units they lead are not competitive.