Microsoft Office/Skype apps to be preinstalled on Android tablets from LG, Sony, & 18 others

After making an announcement in March that Samsung and others would pre-install Office and Skype apps on Android tablets, today Microsoft is adding an additional 20 OEMs including Sony, LG, Haier and many others.

Today I’m excited to announce that 20 additional global and local OEM partners, including LG, Sony, Haier, Positivo and Wortman, will make Microsoft productivity applications and services available on their Android tablets. 

The partners will install Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive and Skype on the tablets.

Microsoft noted that the apps will arrive on a new upcoming LG tablet as well as the new Sony Xperia Z4 tablet over the next 3 months. For the LG tablet, that could be the new LG G Pad X that was recently shown off in leaked images, while Sony officially announced the Xperia Z4 tablet in March and said the device would launch globally in June.

With the addition of the 20 new OEMs, Microsoft is now partnered with a total 31 Android manufacturers to preinstall the apps.

The full list of the new 20 Android OEMs partnering to bundle the Microsoft apps is below:

• Axdia International GMBH – Germany
• Cube – China
• DL – Brazil
• General Procurement – United States
• Grupo Nucleo – Argentina
• Haier – China
• Inco – Mexico
• Ionik GBMH – Germany
• Iview – United States and Latam
• LG – Global
• Multilaser – Brazil
• Noblex – Argentina
• Pacific (Vulcan) – Mexico
• Philco – Argentina
• Positivo – Brazil
• Prestigio – EMEA
• Sony – Global
• Teclast – China
• TMAX Digital – North America
• Wortmannn – Germany

Earlier today Microsoft announced that it plans to bring its Cortana personal assistant software to Android and iPhones.