Measure our success at Xmas '07 — Gates

Bill Gates has dismissed the retail challenge of the PlayStation 3 this Christmas, stating the Xbox 360 is in line for a strong season - while the real success will be measured in a year's time.

Speaking to News.com, Gates said of Sony, "I wouldn't change positions with them in a million years. I mean, we know what it's like to be a year late. We feel great about the position that we're in."

Noting the brand power of PlayStation, albeit by knocking the competitor, he added: "Sony can make 80,000 bricks, and people would buy them. So the real competition — you're going to see the impact of our innovation and all the momentum we have in Christmas 2007."

"This Christmas the story is: Xbox 360 is going to sell super-well, and [Sony will] sell the rounding error amounts they can make," he added.