Quote of the day by Bill Gates: 'There's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it'' downplaying Apple's foray into tablets

Date:
Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Microsoft's attempts to conquer the mobile devices market have long
stuttered, with Bill Gates famously dismissing the iPad

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter For a long period during the early 21st century, Apple was the envy of the technology industry pumping
out a series of excellent products and seemingly unable to put a foot wrong. When the iPad came along, it had many detractors, chief among them the former CEO of its industry rival, Microsoft . "You know, I'm a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen
and a real keyboard in other words a netbook will be the mainstream on
that. So, it's not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, 'Oh my God, Microsoft didn't aim high enough.' It's a nice reader, but there's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.'" Bill Gates, February 2010 Pegged back Bill Gates
was a huge advocate for the tablet computer and had long attempted to thrust this form factor into the mainstream. Quote of the day This article is part
of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here . However, in comments to the now-defunct web magazine BNET , the Microsoft co-founder played down the impact he felt that Apple's first edition of the iPad would have. One month after its launch, he suggested it wouldn't catch on because many users would long for physical elements in such a device. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The iPad, however, proved a stellar success in the months and years that followed, so much so that Microsoft followed this trend in 2012 with the
first edition of its now popular Surface device, called Surface with Windows RT. A man ahead of his time Although Microsoft's attempt to compete with
Apple in the tablet market felt reactive at the time, the company, under Gates' leadership, played a big role in first introducing this strange form factor to the world. You may like Quote of the day by Steve Jobs: "The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste" Quote of the day by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: 'There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share' a staggering misread of the future of consumer devices Quote of the day by Microsoft co-founder and ex-CEO Bill Gates: 'We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the ten' insights on the nature of progress

The origins of the tablet are disputed, with Steve Jobs even envisioning such a device in 1983 and even earlier examples in papers, proposals and blueprints. The first tablet with pen input and handwriting recognition, however, was the 1987 Linus Technologies Write-Top. But this type of device didn't catch on.

More than 10 years later, Microsoft attempted to reinvigorate interest in the tablet with its Microsoft Tablet PC, with the first device launching in 2003. Again, the devices were a commercial failure. Although Apple was the first to bring this concept back from the dead, today's Microsoft Surface Pro devices are outstanding in their own right and have earned a place in a very competitive market. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/quote-of-the-day-by-bill-gates-theres-nothing-on -the-ipad-i-look-at-and-say-oh-i-wish-microsoft-had-done-it-downplaying-apples -foray-into-tablets


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