Bill Gates Transition/Retirement - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Bill Gates Transition/Retirement

The web is buzzing with the news, announced by Microsoft today, that Microsoft founder Bill Gates will cease to have a day-to-day role in the company after July 2008, with a "smooth and orderly transition" between now and then.

Gates, who wants to "spend more time on his global health and education work," through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has had much influence on the history of not only Microsoft but on the software and computer industries as a whole, including Apple's history.

After the transition period, Gates, who at age 50 is considered to be the world's richest person, will remain the companys chairman and will be an advisor on key development projects.

Gates was sometimes criticized in the past for a late start to philanthropy, but has since devoted much time and attention, along with his wife, to health and education issues.

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Rumored Colors

What's Coming in September: New iPhones, Apple Watches and More

Thursday August 13, 2026 4:20 pm PDT by
Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV. iPhone 18 Pro The iPhone 18 Pro is going to look like the iPhone 17 Pro, but with a smaller Dynamic Island. It's getting some internal updates, including a new Wide camera with a variable aperture for more control over lighting ...
iPhone 17 One Year Later Thumb 1

Should You Buy an iPhone 17 Now or Wait for iPhone 18?

Friday August 14, 2026 12:15 pm PDT by
For the first time since Apple started selling standard and "Pro" iPhones, we're not going to get an entry-level iPhone model this fall. Apple doesn't plan to release an iPhone 18 in September, and will only launch the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone Ultra. The lower-cost iPhone 18 won't come out until spring 2027. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Everything New Your iPhone Can Do on iOS 27 Feature 1

30 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27

Friday August 14, 2026 6:24 am PDT by
Apple will release iOS 27 in September, and despite the company's focus this year on refining its flagship operating system and nixing bugs, there are still many additional features on the way, not least of which is Apple's new context-aware Siri, re-tooled for the generative AI era. This year's major iPhone software update isn't all about AI, though, as the following feature list...