Android or iOS? Bill Gates revealed the operating system he uses on his cell phone and explained why

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates joined the hype around the Clubhouse social network and during a conference he answered all kinds of questions about the coronavirus pandemic and the tech industry; although others have directly reported personal issues.

The virtual chat took place on Wednesday to promote the new book “How to avoid a climate catastrophe”. There, journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin attempted to embarrass Gates by asking him about his favorite mobile operating system between Android (from Google) or iOS (Apple).

“I am using an Android phone”Gates clarified. “Since I want to keep track of everything, I often play with iPhones, but the cell phone I carry with me is Android,” he continued.

Many probably think that the reason Bill Gates doesn’t use iPhone as his primary phone is the long-standing rivalry between Microsoft, the company he co-founded, and Apple, his nemesis Steve Jobs. However, it has nothing to do with it.

“Some of the manufacturers that work with Android preinstall Microsoft software in a way that makes it easier for me,” Gates said. “They are more flexible on how the software connects to the operating system. So that’s what I got used to, ”he explained.

One of the companies that Bill Gates is probably referring to is Samsung, which pre-installs various Microsoft apps on their phones. The South Korean company is also working closely with those in Redmond to provide the best possible integration between its products and Windows 10 computers.

The answer probably would have been different if Windows Phone, the operating system the Redmond-based company wanted to compete with Android and iOS with, had achieved the necessary traction. The American company has tried for several years to do this – and even bought Nokia’s telephony division with that goal in mind. However, the results were not as expected and, in 2017 confirmed the death of the platform.

While the conversation took place at the Clubhouse, the full interview can also be streamed on YouTube.

Bill Gates and Android, a relationship of years

The romance between Bill Gates and Android has been going on for several years. In 2017, during an interview with Fox News, the former CEO of Microsoft admitted that his favorite phone had an Android operating system.

Although he did not give details on the model at the time, Gates clarified that his smartphone had “a lot of Microsoft software”, which he assumes was the Samsung Galaxy S8 special edition phone, also known as “Microsoft Edition”.

The Redmond-based company released this special edition Samsung Galaxy S8 in its stores in early 2017.

The main attraction of this particular Android was the preinstalled Microsoft apps: Office, OneDrive, Cortana smart assistant, and Outlook email service, the same ones found in computers.

While all Android phones support these apps as well, details of this custom Microsoft Galaxy S8 suggested the company would continue to offer this for other similar devices in the future.

Climate change and Bitcoin

On the other hand, Sorkin asked Gates for his opinion on the “climate argument” around cryptocurrencies, notably Bitcoin, which requires a large amount of computing power and electrical consumption to “mine”.

“Bitcoin uses more electricity per transaction than any other method known to mankind. So it’s not a big deal of time “Said Gates.

“If it’s green electricity and it doesn’t replace other uses, maybe that’s okay. I don’t see the topics as deeply related, even though I could call myself a Bitcoin skeptic i.e. I didn’t choose to invest any money. I buy vaccines against malaria. I buy measles vaccines. I invest in companies that make products. It’s not a “Hey, somebody’s going to buy this for more money than I paid for.” But if other people find their fortunes this way, I applaud them, ”he replied.

To conclude his idea, Bill Gates added that there are “other ways to create digital currency” that are not secret transactions, and that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation invest to make these services available to help the poorest in India and Africa.

SL