Samsung Galaxy S8: Microsoft To Sell Exclusive Version Of Galaxy S8 Plus

When the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone finally goes on sale in April, the new flagship smartphone will also be available at a place that might initially seem surprising: the Microsoft Store.

Read: Microsoft Surface Phone: 10 Expected Features Of Upcoming Windows 10 Device

Microsoft will begin selling a Microsoft Edition of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus through its local Microsoft Stores. As with the primary Galaxy smartphones, it will also be available April 21.

Externally and mostly internally, the Microsoft Edition of the Galaxy S8 features the same specifications and features as the main Samsung version of the smartphone. However, the Microsoft Edition of the phone will also automatically install a suite of Microsoft mobile apps during the initial setup process.

Read: What Features Does Samsung’s Bixby AI Virtual Assistant Have?

As Engadget notes, the suite includes services like Microsoft’s OneDrive, Office and Outlook. Notably, the package of pre-installed Microsoft apps will also include Microsoft’s Cortana AI home assistant. Much of Samsung’s focus for the Galaxy S8 has been on Bixby, its own proprietary virtual home assistant program and Microsoft Edition owners will likely have to wrangle with two home assistants at first on their smartphone.

As Paul Thurott pointed out, the secondary Galaxy S8 variant comes from an arrangement Microsoft previously had to bundle its apps on Android devices from various manufacturers. But for the moment, Microsoft’s plan to exclusively sell the phone in its stores has some minor upsides. With Microsoft’s smartphone plans currently being on the backburner for the company, it’s a way for the company to still maintain a small presence in the market.