 Under the expanded partnership, Samsung will pre-install Microsoft services and apps on its portfolio of Android devices.
As previously announced at the Mobile World Congress, Samsung will pre-install OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on the new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge smartphones, while in the first half of 2015, Samsung is also planning to pre-install Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on selected Samsung Android tablets. The S6 and S6 edge will also come with 100 GB of additional free cloud storage for two years via Microsoft’s OneDrive. The partnership is also targeted at businesses via Microsoft’s Office software. Devices sold through Samsung’s business-to-business sales channels will have access to three versions of Office 365 – Business, Business Premium and Enterprise – coupled with Samsung’s KNOX security platform. Microsoft, which also runs its own Windows Phone mobile operating system, has also announced a series of partnerships with other hardware manufacturers, including Dell, with its partners to pre-install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on Android devices coming to market later this year. In a blog post, Peggy Johnson, Microsoft Business Development for OEMs executive vice president, noted “original device manufacturers are important because they extend Microsoft services to the ecosystem”. “More specifically, they help to reach a greater number of other device manufacturers, resulting in even more choice for customers around the world,” Johnson wrote. “And for Microsoft, this is part of the company’s mobile-first, cloud-first vision. It is addressing consumer demand for top services by making them already available on a device, instead of requiring consumers to download them separately.” Johnson described the move as “a big step forward” for Microsoft’s cross-platform and cross-device services strategy. “Our goal is to meet the ever-evolving needs of both consumers and business customers and give them more power to discover new mobile experiences,” commented SangChul Lee, Samsung Electronics Strategic Marketing Office, IT & Mobile Division executive vice president “We believe our suite of premium mobile products coupled with Microsoft’s productivity services will offer users the mobility they need in both their personal and business life.” |
