Woz likes Windows Phone more than Android, thinks Steve Jobs was reincarnated at Microsoft

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Apple's eccentric co-founder and longtime gadgetphile, Steve Wozniak, decided to get himself a shiny new Nokia Lumia 900 so he could have a bit of a play with Windows Phone and... he likes it. And this should surprise precisely no one. It's a great new phone and Woz tries every great new phone that comes off the assembly line (he has a chair reserved at the end of the conveyer belt, we're told). He's also giddy-passionate about technology (and recently said Android was more functional than iPhone...). However, since he co-founded Apple, Woz liking anything without an lowercase i in front of it makes headlines. So let's have at it.

"iPhone is my favorite phone. I did give my opinion that the Windows 7 phone had superior visual appearance and operation cues that were also more attractive. In my opinion, it sets the mark for user interface. I would recommend it over my Android phones given that it doesn’t yet have the breadth of apps. I surmise that Microsoft hired someone from Apple and put money into having a role in the UI and appearance of some key apps. I also surmised that Steve Jobs might have been reincarnated at MS due to a lot of what I see and feel with this phone making me think of a lot of great Apple things."

Yeahbutokay... that last part is more than a little around the bend and down the garden path, since Jobs was still alive when Windows Phone and Nokia were put together, never mind anyone re-encarnated in the last year WOULD STILL BE A BABY and not in a position to turn around the battleship that is Microsoft. It also doesn't give the credit where it's due -- to the Windows Phone team and Microsoft team for putting together a damn fine product.

Windows Phone is arguably still more of an app than a platform, but that's changing faster and faster every day. While their specs lag Android by a considerable amount, they've got the polish and experience down and should easily be able to start matching speeds and feeds when Windows Phone 8 starts hitting shelves.

Of course that will be around when iPhone 5,1 and iOS 6 launch, so it'll make for an interesting fall to say the least.

Meanwhile, we leave you with Woz, bless him. (It's audio-only. Now if they'd had an iPhone with them...)

Source: SoundCloud file, A New Domain, WPCentral

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

41 Comments
  • I always did say if I were to dump my iPhone for another phone, it would be for Windows Phone, definitely not Android. Windows Phone OS is high-quality and the only decent competitor to the iOS.
  • Same here!
  • I hope you've at lease arrived at this conclusion after trying out one of the nicer Android phones (e.g. Galaxy Nexus with ICS).
  • i'm the opposite. it would be Android easily. I mean i can't take seriously a guy with a segway and a helmet.
  • I totally agree with you I love my iPhone and have from the 2007 launch but If I had to drop it I would go with windows phone and probably a Nokia lumia it's a great phone.
  • WP7's UI is the ugliest of them all. MS made a mistake when they went with the text dominant UI in the Metro style and they've made another mistake pushing it into the next version of Windows for the PC world. It's just not a pretty UI to stare at day in and day out.
  • Nothing against Woz but this guy last worked at Apple when a DeLorean was the car of the future. How is his opinion or point of view THAT relevant? His points of view are probably no more important or relevant than the average technophile or tech blogger.
    Granted he's not a spokesperson for Apple or anything but one day the guy is raving about the iPhone being the best thing since sliced bread then the next day he's drooling over Android being humanity's savior and now apparently Windows Phone is the platform to beat. Again, as nice as the guy may be, I don't see what the fascination is with every time he gives his opinion on gadgets. Not really that relevant.. My 2¢ worth
  • I find Woz interesting because he is a geek that loves the latest and greatest, and he speaks openly and honestly. He also seems to be a positive thinker that tries to find the best parts of every product. You don't want that approach from a tech reviewer (which Woz is not), and that approach will never be appreciated in blogs that are dedicated to a single manufacturer (e.g. Apple or Android based blogs). But it is nice to have someone out there who tries to find the good in everything; he probably does the same in his personal life, too.
  • Well said. And despite the time that has passed it still takes a brilliant mind to found a company like apple and for that reason alone his opinion is interesting even if u debate his relevance in this day and age.
  • Woz is just a bumbling technophile. Any new gadget that comes out on the market we (as the apple community) look towards Woz to get his reaction, especially since he was on the ground floor. Personally I don't give a sack of windows & android phones what he likes or what he is doing. I think Apple needs to pay him more to keep quiet like they have been doing for so long. What has Woz done to make a contribution to the IT field like Jobs has done within the past decade? Nothing... So why are we giving anything he says any relevance?
  • So, because he thinks Windows Phone is a more polished platform than Android and feels it's the closest competitor to iOS, he should "shut up"?
    Okay. I didn't know your opinion ruled all. Oh, and last time I checked, he still stated the iPhone was his favorite phone. Keep drinking that kool-aid.
  • Taking a stance against the reincarnation line because it isn't chronologically possible?
    "Yeahbutokay… that last part is more than a little around the bend and down the garden path, since Jobs was still alive when Windows Phone and Nokia were put together, never mind anyone re-encarnated in the last year WOULD STILL BE A BABY and not in a position to turn around the battleship that is Microsoft."
    Yeahbutokay...Does anyone think that Woz actually meant that Steve Jobs is reincarnated at Microsoft? Clearly he meant the ingenuity and attention to detail that Jobs brought to Apple, not the man's actual soul.
    And does a tech blog really want to get into the metaphysical theological debate about reincarnation, life after death, and souls? I can pretty much guarantee that Woz wasn't going there.
  • Well said, but Rene did take this one a bit personal. I will not hold it against him because he has to be loyal to Apple.
    But he failed to mention the biggest problem with iPhone; it doesn’t have that “WOW” factor anymore. Sure, sometimes you do get great apps but later everything just seems boring. Apple need a whole new design of the IOS and add more functionality, feathers and integration. Windows phone is by far the best Mobile OS on the planet for those who are bored with both IOS and Android and need something fresh, engaging and intuitive.
  • I didn't take it personally at all. I thought it was great fun. Woz has also been like this for a long time which is why I said it wasn't a surprise.
    And I didn't "fail" to mention anything. You're allowed your opinion, but opinion isn't fact.
    Desktop computers haven't had a major UI change in 20+ years.
    iPhone is selling more than ever.
    Apple will change the UI when they need to to make it better. Fashion isn't usability.
    They're not targeting tech pundits, they're targeting the mainstream and to the mainstream, "boring" equals "familiar".
  • I am agreeing with “opinions are not facts.” But it is a fact despite Android being not as intuitive as the IOS or Windows Phone; it has major market share around the world. Do you want to elaborate on why?
    Desktop computers haven’t had a major UI change in years because Microsoft owned almost 90% share of the market. They didn’t have real competition. But that is not the same with smart phones.
    You can defend all you want and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But iPhone’s IOS needs a major resign and having a large display will not hurt either.
    As a brother I will make a suggestion. If you are going to through in an argument make it relevant.
  • By your logic concerning PC UI, why should Apple have to change the look of iOS? If the iPhone continues to sell more and more each year, why on Earth should Apple change what isn't broken?
  • "those who are bored with both IOS and Android"
    I'm sorry but that is a very tiny set of people. The huge majority of potential cell phone consumers are not engaged in a stupid fanboy operating system war. They simply pick what they like or what suits their needs. But they aren't crusading for cellphone OS evangelists.
  • +1
  • I find this laughable, because the idea that an OS needs to be jazzed up every so often just to makes new for the sale of new is silly. If it works then leave it be until there's actually something innovative that the old OS can't do.
  • “If it works then leave it be until there’s actually something innovative that the old OS can’t do.”
    If only I knew the answer to that. Wait a minute. I do. How about true multitasking, applications integration, better HTML5 browser, improved on security?
  • While I enjoy my Apple products, I love when Woz shares his opinions on new devices. He's not blinded by fanboy bias and can give an honest assessment.
  • I completely agree.
  • Exactly
  • This.
  • All the fanboys are slamming Woz hardcore yet I wonder what they would do if Jobs were still alive and made that same statement (minus the reincarnation part of course). I bet you'd all be jumping ship because Steve Jobs told you to. I do own a 4s but I refuse to drink the cool-aide.
  • You pick the weirdest things about which to be a pedant.
  • What I like about Woz is that he's open-minded about tech in general to where he's not going to be a fanboy of any one platform in particular. And he seems pretty "real" and honest about all the pros and cons of each. I'm pretty much the same way; my tried-and-true iPhone 4 is my "daily driver," but I've had BB, WinMo, and Android phones before and I'm open to Windows Phone and maybe even going back to Android, as long as it's 4.0 ICS or newer. I'd like to have a Windows Phone to add to my little collection too, especially if it's a Nokia. I was seriously considering getting a Nokia Lumia 900, but after using it at the AT&T store several times, WP7 just didn't quite cut it for me, functionality-wise. So I decided to skip it and wait for WP8 and the next generation of Windows phones to come out. By that time we should be seeing them, the next wave of Android phones, and the next iPhone; this'll be an interesting autumn indeed (and it'll make my next phone buying decision even harder to make)...
  • I used a Windows Phone (Samsung Focus) for a year and absolutely loved it. It is a great OS. But I didn't choose another Windows Phone when upgrading because of the lack of apps. It's a very serious problem and I haven't seen it get any better since jumping ship. I keep watching, hoping that the big name apps will appear, but it's just not happening. If and when it does I'd go back in a heartbeat...
  • i tried the lumia 900 and have tried window in general. I see nothing special about either. I'm not a fan of Metro and the Lumia didn't excite me. I'd definitely pick lots of Android over WP7.
  • I liked the Lumia 900; I just didn't find it to be enough of an upgrade over my iPhone 4 to justify getting it. In some ways (e.g. camera and screen resolution) it might even be considered a downgrade. But I still think WP has a lot of potential; it just needs some more work before I'd get one (I'd wait until WP8, at least). If I had to pick a non-Apple device right now, I'd go for the unlocked Galaxy Nexus, now that it's officially available straight from Google.
  • Sorry to let the WP lovers know this, but last quarter according to news reports and web search, Samsung Smartphones phones alone outsold iPhones. Add in HTC, LG and others, I doubt that WP + iP equals Android. On the positive side, it appears that WP may beat out BB. The new Samsung Galaxy 2.7.0 Android Tablet also looks like a winner @. $250.
  • that's a remarkedbly correct remark, yet also short-sited, a snapshot without regard for the future.
  • I agree with Woz. I have both a lumina and an iPhone4s. While the iPhone is my favorite. I like the windows phone as well. Android sucks and I will never touch it again.
  • Apple sucks harder. Will never touch that ever again.
  • spicers
  • Is this surprising to anyone? While Microsoft's products aren't all that great, Android is pretty awful. This doesn't surprise me much.
  • Found this secret blog from pod2g! He released a non-final version of his untethered jailbreak for iOs 5.1!
    pod2gofficial.blogspot.com
  • I'm on Sprint and when the iPhone arrived on Sprint, I jumped on it and have no regrets. This iPhone 4S will last me until my contract expires in 2013. At that time, I may choose whatever iPhone is available at that time but it's more likely that I'll stick with this phone longer if it's still working for me. I don't necessarily need the latest and greatest. I just need what works for me. Windows phone looks good but the apps I use and need just aren't there. I'll keep an eye on Windows Phone 8 when it arrives, but will be taking a hard look at whatever is available in 2013. It's not a given that I'll choose Apple by default but if their 2013 iPhone is compelling, I'll do it again, if nothing else provides what I need.
  • People are talking about how the iOS needs a makeover. As soon as Apple makes the change, the world is going to complain about how they like the old iOS better. There will be jailbreak tweaks to bring back the look of the old iOS. I say they leave as is. Updates are good, but the core/foundation of the iOS should stay the same.
    Some people are never satisfied. (my 2 pennies)
  • I just want to say that the new Nokia windows phone is very nice, but what stops me from even considering it is the placement of the charging port. I mean come on, on the top, do you realize how stupid it is to try to talk on that phone when it is plugged in
  • Wait...what??? It's really on top??? Wow, of all the things I had been looking at to justify a move to the Nokia, I never once thought to look at plug placement. I would have been pretty pissed to discover that little detail post-purchase.