Microsoft Partners with Samsung and Dell to Pre-install Office and Skype on Their Devices

The partnership will pre-install Microsoft’s productivity apps and Skype on select Android devices manufactured by the participating OEMs.

In an effort to extend its mobile first, cloud first strategy, Microsoft is announcing a tactical partnership with Samsung, Dell, and regional OEMs around to world to bring its popular productivity apps and video/ chat service to select mobile devices and computers. The partnership aims to improve Microsoft’s relationship with device manufacturers while making it easier for their customers to access MS Office and Skype.

Microsoft will pre-install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype on devices running Android OS later this year, the company said in a statement. In its collaboration with Samsung, Microsoft plans to pre-install OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. Moreover, select Android tablets will get Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype during the first half of this year.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will also get 100GB of free cloud storage for two years, thanks to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage. Microsoft is also working with Dell and regional OEMs including TrekStor of Germany, JP Sa Couto of Portugal, Datamatic of Italy, DEXP of Russia, Hipstreet of Canada, QMobile of Pakistan, Tecno of Africa, Casper of Turkey, and the Taiwanese electronics company, Pegatron—a total of 11 companies all in all.