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Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal released a comprehensive profile of iPhone usage within Apple’s rival corporation, Microsoft. Surprisingly, it was discovered that nearly 10,000 Microsoft employees (roughly 10% of the company’s employees) accessed their works e-mails via iPhone last year.

Some Microsoft workers take pains to hide their iPhones. While rank-and-file workers tend to use the iPhone openly around peers, some conceal them within sight of more senior executives. One Microsoft worker said he knows several colleagues who try to disguise their iPhones with cases that make them look more like generic handsets.

“Maybe once a year I’m in a meeting with Steve Ballmer,” said this employee. “It doesn’t matter who’s calling, I’m not answering my phone.”

Last September, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, a vehement opponent of the iPhone since its unveiling, snatched such a device from the hands of an employee who was using it to take pictures during a company meeting, and then pretended to smash it with his foot.

I’m guessing there aren’t that many Apple employees using phones running Windows Mobile OS. Just sayin’.

[WallStreetJournal]