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The chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates, said in a recent interview that Microsoft will not produce a device to try and directly compete with the Apple iPhone - at least not in 2008. This is bad news for Microsoft supporters and for "Apple-haters" alike.

I recently posted an article about how the not-yet-released Microsoft Zune 3 may end up looking, and functioning, a lot like the Apple iPhone. Well, it looks like Bill Gates has just shot down that idea in a recent interview where he addressed the question, "No, we won't do that. In the so-called smart phone business we will concentrate solely on software with our Windows Mobile program" (source: Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). He added, "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".
The Zune 3 Phone concept design is not going to become a reality in 2008.

This news is very disappointing, although I'm sure that Apple exec's are pleased to know that they won't be getting any new direct competition to their popular iPhone - at least from Microsoft. I hope that consumers find this news disappointing as well, because the competition can only help to drive down prices of all products involved.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see if Gates changes his mind on this matter, or at least reconsiders it for 2009. The Zune 3 concept design will just have to be considered wishful thinking for now.

Source: Reuters

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