What was the name of Microsoft's failed smartphone that launched in 2010?

Microsoft’s failed smartphone that launched in 2010 was called Microsoft Kin. The Kin line targeted teenagers and young adults who wanted simple phones centered on texting, photos, and social networking.

The project began as “Project Pink” after Microsoft acquired Danger, the company behind the popular T-Mobile Sidekick. Microsoft developed the Kin ONE and Kin TWO with Sharp, and Verizon Wireless sold them in the United States. The phones used a Microsoft operating system based on Windows CE and integrated with Microsoft’s Zune music services.

Kin ONE and Kin TWO reached the market in May 2010, but sales were extremely poor. Microsoft discontinued the original line after only about six weeks, canceled a planned European launch, and reassigned the development team. A modified version returned later in 2010 as the Kin ONEm and TWOm, now marketed as feature phones without the original online services.

Kin is often confused with Windows Phone because both appeared during Microsoft’s mobile push. They were related projects, but Kin was a separate, short-lived product line.