Internet and software giant Microsoft will pit itself against rival firms such as Google and Apple, its chairman and co-founder has stated.In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bill Gates admitted that other organisations, such as the aforementioned companies, "do a good job", but went on to say that his firm will still battle to compete with them, Thomson Financial News reports.
In a positive statement about the future of his company, Mr Gates commented: "You have to keep in mind that Microsoft today has more brilliant scientists than ever, more sales than ever, more profit than ever."
During the interview, he also revealed that Microsoft has no intention of producing a device which combines the functions of a mobile phone with those of a music player, like Apple's hugely popular iPhone.
He stated: "We won't do that. In the sector of such smartphones, we are purely concentrating on the software with our program Windows Mobile."
The technology tycoon added that, in the field of mobile phones, "diversity is of much more use" to Microsoft than producing its own device.
Mr Gates was also recently in the news for comments he made at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in the US.
In an address to attendees of the show, he stated that advances in the technology industry and changes in attitude will see the next ten years become the "first true digital decade".
