Bill Gates in his latest public appearance has asserted that Windows Mobile would have surpassed Google’s Android and dominated the mobile operating system market if Microsoft hadn’t been caught in an antitrust investigation with the US Justice Department. Gates, 64, stated his view while speaking at The New York Times’ DealBook Conference in New York City on Wednesday. Microsoft back in late 2010 switched to Windows Phone from Windows Mobile to take on Android. However, the Redmond company faced stiff competition from Google’s operating system due to massive lack of support from app developers and manufacturers.
During the course of the interview, Gates further added that Microsoft also missed the chance to launch Windows Mobile over a Motorola phone and that Microsoft’s move from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone allowed Android enough time to capture the market. Explaining the situation as a “winner takes all game,” Gates added, “Now nobody here has ever heard of Windows Mobile, but oh well. That’s a few hundred billion here or there,” while explaining the popularity of Android over the Windows Mobile. He further added, “I am disappointed that Windows Mobile did not succeed.”
Gates’ remarkable comments underline the adverse affect of antitrust lawsuits that technology companies often face nowadays. Also, this isn’t the first time the philanthropist has expressed his disappointment towards the failure of Microsoft in the mobile operating system world — despite the fact that the company dominates the desktop operating system market with its Windows platform.
