paraphrased from the "Flight" article...
French investigators have detailed initial plans for a third attempt to find the wreckage and flight recorders
additional data, better estimates of currents and drift effects
zone will be optimised and revised once the operation starts in mid-March
two search vessels - one from Norway's Seabed Group and the other from US underwater engineering specialist Phoenix International - have been recruited for the attempt
So, they have not given up.
ref:
Ocean models refined to aid new AF447 wreckage search