Bill Gates

And if it doesn't make Windows look great or it competes with Windows, that's not what we're doing. And I think that DNA was too strong to overcome disruptive innovations.

And if it doesn't make Windows look great or it competes with Windows, that's not what we're doing. And I think that DNA was too strong to overcome disruptive innovations.

Okay. So let's rewind. What was Microsoft doing in mobile so far? A lot, actually. A lot actually is right. Microsoft was obsessed with all sorts of things, particularly Bill Gates, for decades before they became true.

Okay. So let's rewind. What was Microsoft doing in mobile so far? A lot, actually. A lot actually is right. Microsoft was obsessed with all sorts of things, particularly Bill Gates, for decades before they became true.

One of which was Bill Gates was always talking about mobile computing, so much so that in the key slide in the Windows XP presentation, one of the big bullet points is mobile computing.

One of which was Bill Gates was always talking about mobile computing, so much so that in the key slide in the Windows XP presentation, one of the big bullet points is mobile computing.

all the way back in 2001. And Gates thought natural user interfaces was going to be a thing, multi-touch, tablet computing, pen computing.

all the way back in 2001. And Gates thought natural user interfaces was going to be a thing, multi-touch, tablet computing, pen computing.

Yeah, from the early 2000s and sometimes even before that, these were Bill Gates' visions of the future that he thought were pretty close. And so in the world of, I suppose they were early smartphones, Microsoft had developed Windows Mobile. So what was this? Is it like iOS? Not really. No. What Windows Mobile was, was an operating system for handset makers to adopt and put on their handsets.

Yeah, from the early 2000s and sometimes even before that, these were Bill Gates' visions of the future that he thought were pretty close. And so in the world of, I suppose they were early smartphones, Microsoft had developed Windows Mobile. So what was this? Is it like iOS? Not really. No. What Windows Mobile was, was an operating system for handset makers to adopt and put on their handsets.

And, you know, these things kind of looked like BlackBerrys or mostly keys with a little screen. And when you looked at it, it looked like Windows. It had a little start menu and it was much like the rest of the enterprise strategy, David. designed around all working seamlessly together with your Windows PC and Exchange and your corporate network.

And, you know, these things kind of looked like BlackBerrys or mostly keys with a little screen. And when you looked at it, it looked like Windows. It had a little start menu and it was much like the rest of the enterprise strategy, David. designed around all working seamlessly together with your Windows PC and Exchange and your corporate network.

Because surely people at home, consumers, were not using smartphones. These were for business people who, you know, these were issued by their enterprise. So it fits pretty squarely into the enterprise category. Now, how did Microsoft think about this product? They thought about it as an ingredient into the handset maker's product.

Because surely people at home, consumers, were not using smartphones. These were for business people who, you know, these were issued by their enterprise. So it fits pretty squarely into the enterprise category. Now, how did Microsoft think about this product? They thought about it as an ingredient into the handset maker's product.

Microsoft was somewhat at the whim of an OEM in the computer ecosystem. You know, Dell could install some more stuff on top of Windows and customize the installation, but it was still Windows XP. No matter who the PC was from, it was a pretty standard thing. That really wasn't the case with Windows mobile phones. The handset makers could modify the code of Windows mobile.

Microsoft was somewhat at the whim of an OEM in the computer ecosystem. You know, Dell could install some more stuff on top of Windows and customize the installation, but it was still Windows XP. No matter who the PC was from, it was a pretty standard thing. That really wasn't the case with Windows mobile phones. The handset makers could modify the code of Windows mobile.

So when you bought a handset, first and foremost, you were trusting the product quality of the people at the handset maker. And they had several OSs that they could buy and effectively start from, one of which was Microsoft. We're handset makers. We make a phone. And we know how to interconnect and do all the carrier stuff with the carriers because they're our partners.

So when you bought a handset, first and foremost, you were trusting the product quality of the people at the handset maker. And they had several OSs that they could buy and effectively start from, one of which was Microsoft. We're handset makers. We make a phone. And we know how to interconnect and do all the carrier stuff with the carriers because they're our partners.

And we kind of needed to do a bunch of computer stuff too, like email and stuff. So can you guys do all that? Yeah. And then we'll make sure when we get that from you that we'll start changing your code to make it work with our phone, and we'll do all the phony stuff. Not an iPhone. What was Microsoft's position in mobile?

And we kind of needed to do a bunch of computer stuff too, like email and stuff. So can you guys do all that? Yeah. And then we'll make sure when we get that from you that we'll start changing your code to make it work with our phone, and we'll do all the phony stuff. Not an iPhone. What was Microsoft's position in mobile?