'You Are More Responsible...': Android Co-Founder On Bill Gates' Failure To Compete In Smartphone Market

Android co-founder Rich Miner said, "Sorry Bill, you’re more responsible for losing the $400B than you realise.”

Android co-founder said that the reason he came up with Android smartphones was because he was concerned that Microsoft might replicate its dominance in the mobile market, similar to its control over the PC industry.

Source : X/@richminer, @BillGates

Microsoft lost to Android in the race to dominate the mobile market, and the tech giant's co-founder Bill Gates, in a recent interview, admitted to the same. Now, Android co-founder Rich Miner has blamed Gates for this failure. He claimed that the Microsoft co-founder himself played a key role in the downfall. 

Miner in a post on X wrote, “I literally helped create Android to prevent Microsoft from controlling the phone the way they did the PC—stifling innovation. So it’s always funny for me to hear Gates whine about losing mobile to Android.”

I helped Orange launch the first Windows Mobile phone in 2002, the SPV. I worried MSFT might end up controlling mobile like they did the PC, I wanted something more open. So, sorry Bill, you're more responsible for loosing the $400B than you realize
https://t.co/xuWu7paunM

— Rich Miner (@richminer) January 14, 2025

He added, “I wanted something more open. So, sorry Bill, you’re more responsible for losing the $400B than you realise.” 

Miner, who collaborated extensively within the mobile ecosystem, expressed his early apprehensions about Microsoft's potential monopolistic behaviour. While contributing to the development of the first Windows Mobile phone, the SPV, launched by Orange in 2002, he was concerned that Microsoft might replicate its dominance in the mobile market, similar to its control over the PC industry.

In a conversation with Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz, Bill Gates reflected on Microsoft’s failure to lead in the smartphone platform space, calling it one of the company’s most significant blunders. “The greatest mistake of all time is the mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what Android is,” Gates admitted. He estimated that this oversight cost Microsoft approximately $400 billion, a market value that Google’s Android ultimately captured.

What Contributed To Microsoft's Failure?

Microsoft’s late entry into the smartphone market played a pivotal role in its inability to succeed. Apple’s groundbreaking iPhone debuted in June 2007, reshaping the industry, while Google introduced Android in September 2008, quickly establishing itself as the leading alternative to Apple. In contrast, Microsoft launched Windows Phone 7 in October 2010—significantly lagging behind its competitors.

This delay gave Apple and Android a head start, enabling them to dominate the mobile operating system landscape with a combined market share of 99.9 per cent. Android’s flexibility and open-source nature attracted manufacturers globally, solidifying its position. Meanwhile, Microsoft struggled to gain momentum and eventually discontinued its Windows Phone platform, unable to carve out a sustainable market presence.