Cell phone | prototype:Microsoft Kin Prototype

The Microsoft Kin was a short-lived mobile phone manufactured by Sharp Corporation in 2010 and sold by Verizon Wireless. Microsoft marketed the phone to consumers who heavily used social media, generally between 15 and 30 years old. The Kin home screen, called Loop, allowed users to easily check Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and website feeds all from a single location. It also automatically uploaded photo, video and messages to a cloud service called Kin Studio, which was accessibly through the Web. However, the Kin had no app store and did not allow users to install apps from other phones, nor did it support any games or Flash applications. It also did not contain any kind of calendar function or Instant Message client, a surprising omission for a social phone.

Due to poor sales and weak marketing, Microsoft discontinued the original Kin after only 48 days on the US market and canceled its planned European release. Several months later, Microsoft released new version of the phone, entitled KIN ONE and KIN TWO, which did not contain any internet browsing options and thus did not require a data plan. These phones also sold poorly and Microsoft canceled production in 2011. The Kin was absorbed into the Windows Phone and is known as a "close cousin" of the brand.