With Windows Phone still stuck in neutral, Microsoft has come up with some extremely clever ways to make its mark on Android, including most recently a way for Android users to install a Windows 10-based ROM onto Android devices that essentially would take them over and offer Windows-based software offerings such as Cortana, Office and Skype. Microsoft on Monday made another announcement that could go a long way toward boosting its presence on Android by signing deals with OEMs such as Samsung and Dell to preload Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype onto their Android-based devices.
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“We’ve also expanded strategic agreements with leading global OEM 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, and Casper of Turkey, as well as top original device manufacturer Pegatron,” writes Microsoft vice president of business development Peggy Johnson. “These 11 hardware partners will pre-install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on Android devices coming to market later this year.”
While most of these brands aren’t household names in the U.S., what Microsoft is trying to do is get its software on more Android devices in emerging markets. So while Microsoft’s deal with Samsung may rightfully get all the headlines, its partnerships with smaller OEMs to help its quest to take Android away from Google is pretty significant as well.
