Microsoft's $1 Billion Phone Flop: Kin One and Kin Two Cancelled After 48 Days

Microsoft's Kin One and Kin Two phones were two short-lived devices that cost the company nearly $1 billion to develop over two years. After launching on May 13, 2010, these smartphones struggled to find an audience and were eventually cancelled just 48 days later, on June 30, 2010.

The Kin One was priced at $49.99, while the Kin Two cost $99.99 after rebates. However, with a Verizon voice plan costing $39.99 plus another $29.99 for data, the monthly price added up to about $70.

Internally, it's been reported that Microsoft moved the software from the Java-based original Danger platform to Windows CE, which added 18 months to the development cycle of the device.