Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has denied that the company plans to make a direct competitor to the iPhone, saying that it plans to focus on its Windows Mobile software instead. “No, we won’t do that. In the so-called smart phone business we will concentrate solely on software with our Windows Mobile program,” Gates said in an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “We have partnerships with a lot of device manufacturers from Samsung to Motorola and this variety brings us significantly more than if we would make our own mobile phone.” Previous rumors had suggested that Microsoft was planning to build its own handset to challenge the iPhone; the company currently competes with Apple’s iPod with its Zune portable media player.

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Charles Starrett

Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.