With the launches of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 now behind him, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is apparently feeling a little punchy and ready to lash out at the competition yet again.
BGR is reporting that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer isn't mincing any words when it comes to his opinion of competitors iOS and Android during an interview Wednesday with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
The Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 boss first opened fire at Google's Android, referring to it as "wild" and "uncontrolled" because the platform's Play Store remains a Wild West-style playground for malware without the search giant policing what gets offered there.
While you'd think Ballmer might have more kind words for Apple, who offers a more draconian, curated App Store on iOS and now the Mac, it turns out the CEO has little respect for that approach, either.
Microsoft's CEO used the words "high-priced" and "highly controlled" to describe iOS, noting that Apple's iPhone sells for upwards of $1,000 in some places, and while Android may be a lawless hellscape, Cupertino's approach is too far in the opposite direction.
Not surprisingly, Ballmer believes the sweet spot is Windows Phone 8, which is certainly more affordable for many thanks to handsets like the Nokia Lumia 920 selling for a mere $99 with contract. It remains to see, however, if the public with agree with Crazy Steve…
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keniled
December 02, 2012 at 8:04am
In one opinion he is right for sure: iPhones ARE being sold for much over $1,000 in some places. That is not less crazy than Steve himself.
golf25radioman
November 21, 2012 at 12:03pm
From the content of the article, whomever chose the photo of Balmer to accompany it did the job well. Reminds me of late night host Craig Ferguson doing his impression of Larry King. IMHO - Windows 8 (and the Windows phone) look like they are aimed at a grammar school environment with poor vision.
tellmewhy
November 20, 2012 at 2:38am
In a May 2012 column in Forbes magazine, Adam Hartung described Ballmer as "the worst CEO of a large publicly traded American company", saying he had "steered Microsoft out of some of the fastest growing and most lucrative tech markets (mobile music, handsets and tablets)"
Can someone tell me why Gates doesn't let him go?
rgrein
November 22, 2012 at 10:20pm
Uh, he is entertained by the annual monkeyboy dance?
Dunno why, exactly Balmy Balmer is still running the company, but if I had to guess it's because they don't have anyone who would be much better. 12 years of Windows tablet attempts and it takes Apple to show them how to do it right, with predictable success. Now that they have it right in front of their noses they still can't get it right, and try to cram a bloated OS into a little tiny tablet. That 32 GB sounds like a lot until you check free space; not much more than a 16 GB iPad. To make matters worse MS tries to shoehorn a touch screen OS onto desktops - where are all the touch screens, and why would I want to?
Tenchi211
November 19, 2012 at 11:29pm
I say keep Ballmer around!!! No need for Microsoft to have someone who knows what they're doing running the company.
