Bill Gates just got himself a brand new smartphone, and it isn’t an iPhone 8.
The Microsoft co-founder has ditched Windows Mobile for Android. Despite getting closer to Steve Jobs before he died in 2011, Gates still has no interest in using iOS.
Microsoft insists Windows Mobile is still alive and well, and it continues to maintain it. Manufacturers like HP and Alcatel are still building Windows Mobile devices. But in reality, the platform is hobbling along on its last legs.
According to the latest data from Net Market Share, Windows now accounts for a measly 0.81 percent of mobile market share. In comparison, Android accounts for a whopping 64.76 percent, while iOS accounts for 32.93 percent.
Without a significant user base, Windows Mobile just doesn’t get the same support from third-party developers as its rivals. A long list of popular apps aren’t available from the Windows Store, including Snapchat, Tinder, and anything made by Google.
It’s no surprise, then, that not even a Microsoft co-founder wants to use the platform anymore. Gates confirmed during an interview with Fox News that he “recently” switched to an Android phone “with a lot of Microsoft software.”
Gates didn’t specify which Android phone, but it could be the Galaxy S8, which Microsoft sells through its own stores in the U.S. When further pressed about the possibility of using iOS instead, Gates responded, “Nope. No iPhone.”
However, Gates did recognize “the competition in the software and IT space” that Steve Jobs helped foster with the iPhone. “It’s phenomenal,” he said. He also confirmed that he and Gates became closer before Jobs died of pancreatic cancer in October 2011.
You can watch the full interview with Chris Wallace above.
Via: OnMSFT
