In an interview with the BBC News channel in the UK Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer promised that Microsoft would take the battle to Google in search – and beat off any challenge in the field of mobile phone software. Last week saw the launch of the first phone based on Google’s open-source Android platform. But Mr Ballmer said an open-source solution would not be attractive to phone manufacturers, and predicted that Windows Mobile phones would stay ahead of Blackberry, Apple’s iPhone and Google Android in the smartphone market.

"You’ve got to remember Android is version one….and it looks like version one," he said. "They’ve got one handset maker, we’ve got 55. They’re available through one operator, we’ve got 175." 

He also went on to say  Windows Vista – much criticised by some users – had been the most popular operating system that Microsoft had ever introduced.

But he did admit that there had been problems.

"Any time you change something as fundamental as an operating system people will have issues," he said.

And asked why there seemed to be little passion for Microsoft amongst many consumers, he said people loved the products even if they did not love the company.

"With their Windows PCs people have what I would call a love/hate relationship.

"There are things they’d like us to do better but if you asked them if they loved what they’re able to do with their PC, I think they’d say ‘Yes’."

Via BBC News