Over the years, Microsoft was the leader in the computer industry, beating Apple. However, it had failed miserably in the smartphone era. In an interview during an event hosted by Venture capital firm Village Global, Bill Gates said that the biggest mistake of his life was allowing Google to develop Android.
Bill Gates Reveals The ‘Biggest Mistake’ He Made At Microsoft
Well, what will be the answer if we ask you about the ingredients needed to be a successful person? A smart idea, hard work, and dedication are what most of us will answer. To some extent, it’s true, but what’s also true is that failures are also essential to becoming a successful person. Even Bill Gates, the man behind Microsoft, also made some greatest mistakes in his life, which he now regrets.
The American Business magnate Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft, now the world’s largest PC software company. Over the years, Microsoft was the leader in the computer industry, beating Apple. However, it had failed miserably in the smartphone era.
As of today, some of you might think that the mobile operating system world only has Android and iOS. However, not so long ago, Microsoft also has its own mobile operating system running on Windows phones. Microsoft’s Mobile OS has failed miserably, and in 2017, Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows 10 smartphones.
In an interview during an event hosted by Venture capital firm Village Global, Bill Gates said that the biggest mistake of his life was allowing Google to develop Android. Not only that, but Bill Gates also stated that Microsoft would be even more valuable if it had won the fight over mobile operating system against Google and its Android platform.
Bill Gates said “We were in the field of doing operating systems for personal computers. We knew that mobile phones would be very popular”.
“We missed being the dominant mobile operating system by a very tiny amount. We were distracted during our antitrust trial. We didn’t assign the best people to do the work.”
“You know, in the software world, in particular for platforms, these are winner-take-all markets. So the greatest mistake ever is whatever mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what Android is. Android is the standard non-Apple phone platform. … There’s room for exactly one non-Apple operating system.”
So, this was the biggest mistake that Bill Gates made at Microsoft. What’s your take on this? Share your views with us in the comment box below.
