Separately, Microsoft announced a series of “strategic agreements,” that will see not only Dell’s Android lineup gain Microsoft productivity apps later this year, but also devices from regional OEMs TrekSor, JP Sa Couto, Datamatic, DEXP, Histreet, QMobile, Tecno, Casper, Pegatron, and others.
On Samsung devices, a new KNOX Business Pack will extend to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype. It’ll also include 100GB of OneDrive storage for two years, as well as access to Office 365 Business, Business Premium, and Enterprise.
The motivations behind today’s announcements are all too clear — Microsoft’s Head of Business Development Peggy Johnson told the Verge the deals were “emblematic of our efforts to bring the best of Microsoft’s productivity service to everyone, on every device.” However, the company’s willingness to partner with Samsung is surprising, given the companies’ historically testy relationship. Microsoft earned more than $1 billion in 2013 from Samsung in the form of Android-related patent royalties before settling the issue in court.
Microsoft’s newly-minted partnership with Samsung, Dell, and smaller Android device manufacturers marks its biggest offensive yet on Google’s mobile turf. The usage terms of
