In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Bill Gates admitted that he now uses an Android-powered smartphone, rather than a Windows variant.
“Recently, I actually did switch to an Android phone,” he said, speaking to Fox News on Sunday. Gates did not specify which Android device he’s currently using, though our guess is the Samsung Galaxy S8. Microsoft started offering a variant of the device in the company’s online store not long after the handset was announced, which came bundled with a load of Microsoft applications.
When asked whether he uses an Apple iPhone, it seems that the ex-Microsoft CEO still refuses to make that jump.
When asked whether he used the Apple handset as a secondary driver, Bill Gates quickly replied: “No, no iPhone.”
Microsoft’s attempt to capitalise on the smartphone business has been a turbulent one at best. The transition from Windows Mobile into Windows Phone was a bold move for Microsoft, however the operating system felt largely unfinished compared to iOS and Android counterparts. The release of Windows 10 was supposed to synergise desktop, mobile and tablet operating systems together but largely fell flat. Only a few manufacturers came on board with the idea and ultimately, Windows-powered phones accounted for less than 1% of the overall global smartphone sales in 2016.
Under current CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has now refocused its strategy to focus more on apps and services. The company is worker closer with Apple and Google to provide software services on their operating systems, rather compete with hardware outright. The Surface division now serves as the primary hardware outlet for the Redmond company.