The idea of Microsoft as David to anyone else as Goliath might seem a little absurd, but it was how the company chief executive described his company in a BBC interview when talking about search. The Goliath, of course, is Google.
He admitted that Microsoft has been slow to recognize the importance of search, saying:
"Do I wish we’d started the investment in search a few years earlier? Yes."
"We may be the David up against Goliath but we’re working on it."
His greatest concern in that field was the advantage that Google had built up in online advertising.
But ranging far and wide, he did tout the power of Windows Mobile phones, and took pains to point out Microsoft’s lead over Google in that area.
"You’ve got to remember Android is version one….and it looks like version one," he said.
"They’ve got one handset maker, we’ve got 55. They’re available through one operator, we’ve got 175."
He also – as you’d expect – came to the defense of Vista, calling it Microsoft’s most popular OS, although he was willing to concede there had been problems.
"Any time you change something as fundamental as an operating system people will have issues."
