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Bill Gates admits Microsoft made "a mistake" in the smartphone business

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is continuing his media blitz that is primarily about generating awareness of his work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Today, in a new interview that was shown on the CBS This Morning program, Gates not only talked about his massive charity work but Microsoft-related themes as well.

Gates admitted to interviewer Charlie Rose that in terms of the smartphone industry, Microsoft did not "get out in the lead very early." When asked why this was the case by Rose, Gates dodged the question, saying that the question was too complicated to answer. He did admit, "We didn't miss cell phones, but the way that we went about it didn't allow us to get the leadership. So it's clearly a mistake."

When asked by Rose if he has been satisfied with the leadership of Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer, Gates says that both he and Ballmer are highly critical of themselves. While Gates said that Ballmer's leadership of the company has lead Microsoft to launch products such as Windows 8, the Surface and more, he said, "But is -- is it enough? No, he and I are not satisfied that in terms of, you know, breakthrough things, that we're doing everything possible."

Gates also admits that he likes his sleep, and said he's not one of these people who can get by with four hours of sleep, but still has a tendency to stay up at night reading, which can be an issue if his has a morning appointment.

Source: CBS This Morning

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