Ballmer: Android Isn't As Good As Google Reckons

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has claimed that the company's Windows Mobile operating system is far superior to Google's Android OS, saying that the Android OS was not as "free" as it appeared to be.

In an interview with CNNMoney's Fortune blog, Ballmer said that although Google had done well with the software-only approach, the Android OS came with a hefty royalty fee for makers, which Google chose to downplay.

The Microsoft CEO said: “I think what you mostly in the market is that there's a lot of dynamism. But, in terms of share and popularity there's still a lot of opportunities for innovation.”

Ballmer also praised Apple for its iPhone but added that the Cupertino-based company was still not number one, Nokia was.

He also pointed out that the Research in Motion (RIM) BlackBerry was better suited to enterprise users than the iPhone.

During the interview, Ballmer also admitted that the company's Windows Vista operating system had been rushed prematurely into the market, as Microsoft had not launched a new software product in five years.