Microsoft Rumored to be Killing Pink, Workers Using iPhones Anyway

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Rumor has it Microsoft is on the verge of axing the Pink Project. Come on, you remember those Pure Turtle phones we've been hearing about for months? The ones built by the former Danger/Sidekick team that might run Zune software and compete for the hearts and minds of tweens (TM PalmCast) everywhere? Yeah, those. Axed. Finished. Ballmered.

Seems like since their dear leader Andy Rubin left to father Android for Google, things have been on something of a downward spiral:

Amongst remaining employees, dissent is high. Much of the team uses iPhones around the office, or their old Sidekick handsets. Employees “hate the product” internally, many feeling that the division exists only to “challenge [the Windows Mobile 7 team] and upset them into competing.” Our source outright indicated that they felt the product was never intended to ship.

Malatesta from WMExperts.com is hearing conflicting stories, so take the above with a FUD-sized grain of salt. Still, even if Pink isn't dead, given what's left of the Danger team, the designs we've seen leaked so far, and the fact that Windows Mobile needs all the help it can get right now, maybe it ought to be?

[MobileCrunch via WMExperts]

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

8 Comments
  • Wow. Just makes you wonder if Microsoft is Behind apple in innovation and quality products.. I have a iPhone, iPod, and MacBook pro and I'll never buy another PC again because of Apple'sProducts quality and ease of use.I hope Palm and RIM can continue to develop their products so there is a healthy amount of competition for apple to not grow dormant on the mobile phone and music player segments..
  • Well, there's always next decade... :lol:
  • They have a nearly perfectly awesome product in the ZuneHD that they fail to realize it's full potential as a phone. It's almost as if the Zune department lies in an entirely different world that just happens to have the Microsoft name attached to it.
  • Those concepts were a total joke anyway. Hello!! You have the beautiful Zune HD which is begging to be turned into a phone!! You also have the successful Xbox line which many have been clamoring to be made into a handheld or phone!! The Courier looks amazing and is a great concept!! WHY ARE YOU SCREWING AROUND WITH TERRIBLE IDEAS LIKE PINK!!!!!!!
  • hmm "scre wing" was censored
  • Just goes to show the shambles that M$ mobile R & D group is. If anyone need to get axed, it's Ballmer.
  • Agreed. Ballmer is a lousy leader, driven by ego and not innovation. He has no vision for M$. They have some great products that are crying to be integrated into a super gadget, but yet they don't see it. It's the blind leading the blinder.
  • Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?