KIN Handsets Won't Land in Asia, Microsoft Says

KIN, the latest move Microsoft made in the mobile area, won't arrive on the market in Asia, a company spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The Redmond-based software giant is set to make KIN handsets available for purchase only in the United States and in Europe, while focusing on the marketing of Windows Phone 7 when it comes to Asian users.

Two KIN devices were officially unveiled today, both set to become available on Verizon Wireless in the US as soon as next month and expected to be launched on Vodafone's airwaves in several European markets this fall. According to pcworld, the company doesn't have plans to launch the phones via Asian operators, a least this is what Lena Goh, a spokeswoman for Microsoft in Singapore, stated recently.

However, considering that the agreements with Verizon and Vodafone are exclusive, and that Vodafone already has several investments in Asia, there are chances that KIN might arrive on the Asian market via this carrier. On the other hand, the company announced that it should carry the two new KIN handsets (manufactured by Sharp), but didn't mention Asia in the process.

“Vodafone today announces that it will bring KIN, a new Windows Phone designed specifically for people who are actively navigating their social lives, exclusively to Europe in Autumn 2010. Initial launch markets will be Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, with further markets to follow before the end of 2010,” is what the carrier stated in a press-release.

KIN is meant to offer an enhanced social networking experience to mobile phone users, putting together the handset, online services and a browser based experience that offers access to photos, videos, contacts and feeds from any computer. Among the main features of KIN, Microsoft counts the KIN Spot, Loop and Studio, all of which enable users to publish and share content with their friends and family.