Microsoft Office apps to come preloaded on Android tablets from LG, Sony, 18 others

From PC World: Microsoft apps will soon come pre-installed on more Android devices thanks to 20 new partnerships the company has forged with tablet makers around the world. The group of global and regional partners, which includes LG, Sony, Haier and Wortmann, will pre-install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on devices in the near future.

Beyond that, it’s mostly unclear when the manufacturers will be launching tablets with Microsoft’s apps pre-installed. Sony is slated to start with its Xperia Z4 in the next 90 days, but Microsoft hasn’t provided a timetable for the other manufacturers. LG, for its part, will include the apps on a new tablet sometime later this year. Going forward, manufacturers will have the freedom to pick which apps (if any) show up on a given tablet.

Tuesday’s announcement means Microsoft is now working with 31 device manufacturers to pre-load applications on Android tablets. Earlier this year, the Redmond, Washington-based company announced similar deals with 11 manufacturers, including Dell and Samsung. Microsoft has also made inroads into the Android phone market, with Samsung pre-installing some of its apps on certain models of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.

Much like with the Galaxy S6, mobile carriers will have final control over which apps appear on the tablets they sell directly, further complicating matters.

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