It appears that former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is just as befuddled by the lack of apps for Windows Phone as the average consumer, and thinks the platform would be better served by embracing Android.

Ballmer, Redmond's biggest shareholder, made his feelings known at Microsoft's recent shareholder meeting, according to Bloomberg. When current CEO Satya Nadella was asked about the lack of apps on Windows Phone, he pointed to Microsoft's universal apps effort, which lets you acquire an app for all Windows devices at once from the app store.

"That won't work," Ballmer reportedly said in response, suggesting that Windows Phones need "to run Android apps."

At its Build conference earlier this year, Microsoft introduced Windows Bridge, a tool designed to help Android and iOS developers more easily port their apps to the Windows platform. At the time, it launched a beta version of the iOS port, and said the Android version would arrive later in the year. In November, however, news emerged that the Android project, codenamed Project Astoria, had been put on hold.

Microsoft did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.

In PCMag's review of the new Lumia 950, we found that the smartphone shows how Microsoft can integrate the mobile and desktop experience, but also demonstrates how the company is way behind iOS and Android in third-party support.

Earlier this year, another struggling phone maker, BlackBerry, dove deeper into the Android ecosystem by releasing a slider phone that runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. The Priv, PCMag found, brings BlackBerry's basic strengths—a physical keyboard and notifications—to Android in a big, heavy, pricey package, making it a niche buy.