Microsoft CEO Not Impressed with Proposed Google Cell Phone Platform
Google Inc.’s plans to enter the mobile market with a cell phone platform might have impressed many in the industry but not Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corp., one of Google’s biggest competitors.
Ballmer sidestepped a request to make any specific comments on Google’s Android software platform during a Tokyo press conference today. “Well of course, their efforts are just some words on paper right now; it’s hard to do a very clear comparison [with Windows Mobile],” he said.
Ballmer noted the success his company has had with its Windows Mobile platform, which commands a sizable share of the smart-phone market, especially in North America. Windows Mobile is on 150 handset models and is available from more than 100 different mobile service providers, he said. Microsoft will likely license 20 million Windows Mobile handsets this year, he added.
“We have great momentum — we’ve brought our Windows Mobile 6 software to market, we’re driving forward on our future releases, and we’ll have to see what Google does,” Ballmer said. “Right now they have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers, great software, many hardware devices, and they’re welcome in our world.”
