Speaking to the BBC, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said that an open-source handset would not appeal to phone manufacturers; his prediction was that Windows Mobile based phones would stay ahead of Google’s Android, BlackBerry and Apple’s iPhone in the Smartphone market. “You’ve got to remember Android is version one” Ballmer suggested, “and it looks like version one.” However Ballmer’s primary concern was Microsoft’s delayed respose to internet search and online advertizing: “Do I wish we’d started the investment in search a few years earlier? Yes.” The outspoken executive particularly highlighted the lead Google has built up in online advertising; since then, of course, Google has expanded into several other areas including creating an operating system for phones.
Ballmer also called on politicians to make “the right decisions” in this time of economic crisis. He told the BBC that Microsoft had become a “David in search alongside the Goliath of its arch-rival Google”. “I don’t think there’s any confusion in Washington that they need to make smart choices to help the US economy,” he continued. While Android helps handset prices come down because there is no licence to purchase, nor any of the other fees associated with Windows, Microsoft has to look for other ways to promote their OS products when people are looking to save, not spend. It’s unclear what consumers will do in an economic crisis, Ballmer said, “you’ve got to assume that people are going to assess their overall wealth differently so they aren’t going to be spending as much on high-cost capital goods”.
Ballmer insisted that Windows Vista – the much criticized Windows operating system – had been the most popular OS that Microsoft had ever created. Ballmer did not deny any claims to the issues reported with Windows Vista, instead suggesting that such incidents were inevitable: ”any time you change something as fundamental as an operating system people will have issues.”
Photo provided by Android Community member heyitsnan
[Via BBC News]
and wow, does MS sound arrogant here.
Something tells me MS is going to be wishing they'd paid attention to the fire lit under them when the iPhone came out. Android is about to start munching away at even more of their market share. The timing of the G1 product launch is genius: iPhone is entrenched, growing it's market, however, there's a lot of us who don't want to give up our voice plans that are much lower priced than ATT's (I'm 'grandfathered' into T-Mobile @ $39 per month for 1500 minutes) but want a more relavent device.
Personally, I've been using WinMo since the early days of clamshell HP WindowsCE devices. It's been fun, but it's become dull and antiquated. My contract was up, I pre-ordered a G1; moved my personal domain from Hosted Exchange to Google Apps and am anxiously awaiting to log into an initialize my G1.
I may revisit the WM world when version 7 comes out, but the G1 looks like a lot of fun
Who would have thought 2 guys with a server in their garage 10 years ago with a search engine would be worrying Microsoft and becoming one of the most powerful companies in the world.
Normally im against excessive punctuation but that called for it :P
WinMo is version 6 and it feels like version 60, build 11285, service pack 4a!
I wonder if you did a test like MS's MOJAVE EXPERIMENT and gaged users' feelings about overall experience, ease of use, power, fun, quality, etc., which would they choose? Android v1 or WinMo v. 6.1....
Hmmmmm....
I have to say that I've never heard a company say, "I am scared of the competition." You know that they have fear in their hearts
I have to say that I've never heard a company say, "I am scared of the competition." You know that they have fear in their hearts
We see what happens in 5 years.
Considering how big Microsoft is, Windows mobile will always be around no matter what.
I think in 5 years, the major players in the smart phone business will be iPhone and Android OS.
1. Bad drive, wouldn't read DVD's
2. RROD
3. E74
4. RROD
5. Knock on wood, still working
What does the government have to do with Google's innovative spirit? Just put out a better product and price it competitively Steve.
& dont even get me staarted ON VISTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ggrrrrr....G1 ROCKKKK!!!!!
BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
& dont even get me staarted ON VISTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ggrrrrr....G1 ROCKKKK!!!!!
BE AFRAID BE VERY AFRAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
whats going to carry android is the devs and their apps. that's what's going to put android over the hump. i had windows mob for a few years and i prob added like two "apps". apple really change the game with the app store i must say. if windows mobile had it i may have tried more "apps". now windows mobile is creating some store. i think its called sky mart or something of that nature. i forget haa
i just dont' see the type of apps i have seen on the iphone on windows mobile. but i do see it for android.
uhh i think i just went off on a tangent
Getting back on topic, of course Microsoft isn't worried. When was the last time Microsoft worried about anything? Wii? Pfft, child's toy. Wait, what do you mean it outsells both the XBox 360 and PS3 combined? Well, um, ok, fine, let's mimic it on our own platform! Linux? Pfft, open source doohickey. Wait, what do you mean it's taking sales away from Windows? We better have SCO look into this for us. iPod? Pfft, who buys Apple MP3 players when they can buy a Zune instead? Wait, what do you mean Best Buy wants to give away a free Zune with every iPod purchase because they'll never get rid of them otherwise?