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Microsoft KIN Phones Focus on the Only Frontier Left

Microsoft's KIN social phones are focused on youths and social networking because that's the only frontier left. With Research In Motion and others locking up the enterprise market, Microsoft is betting its KIN phones will appeal to Generation Y. But Microsoft has to deal with the stigma of being Microsoft and Danger's data losses. In every little problem, there's an opportunity for a better design and a better experience.

So says Jon Friedman, who works in the Microsoft  group named for Seattle's Pioneer Square. He was on the team that worked on Microsoft's new KIN social phones.
Microsoft's new touchscreen phones offer a compact form factor with software that aims to help users discover, share and interact with friends and family online. The phones, which allow users to organize and view their social-media feeds, video , messages and other content, will be available through Verizon Wireless in the U.S.

 

Friedman said KIN began with researching today's social-media-oriented younger generation. What stood out is how emotionally connected young people are to their phones. "It was amazing to realize the emotional response people have to this product space," he said. "For us it really elevated the emotional moments of design over features and functions alone."

Microsoft's Stigma

But for all the hype around the KIN phones, at least one analyst isn't convinced that young consumers will rush to buy one of the devices. Mike Disabato, a senior analyst at the Burton Group, a division of Gartner, said Microsoft is desperate and he doubts KIN will be a smash hit, even among its target audience.

"These young people need to take a page from history. Do you really trust Microsoft with your private information ?" Disabato asked, recalling the massive data  losses involving the software giant's acquired Danger phone.

Still, Disabato admits that Microsoft is tapping into a potentially lucrative audience. He called any new handset maker that thinks it's going to generate significant revenue in the enterprise "delusional." The enterprise market is difficult to break into and dominated by the likes of Research In Motion.

"Everything has to be centered around the consumer, and everything has to be centered around social media because the baby boomers bred Generation Y that grew up with one of these things jammed in their ears," Disabato said. "So if Microsoft can come up with a credible feature list that makes them want to switch, then maybe they will do that. but that feature list has to compete with the iPhone, Android, all of the Symbian phones out there, and the stigma of being Microsoft."

A Young Adult's Dream Phone?

Microsoft is betting differently. The company is focused on a multimedia experience, including a built-in Zune player, with battery life to back it up. With the KIN, Microsoft offers what it hopes is a young adult's dream phone.

"If you're on a road trip with friends and stay overnight somewhere, we didn't want you to worry about whether you forgot your charger. These phones should just work in the morning," Friedman said, noting that KIN phones have an advantage over traditional Zune devices in that they are connected all the time through the cellular network .

 

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