Xiaomi and Microsoft partnership

Another shake-up at the Xiaomi house. Is this perhaps a step towards opening up abroad?

Microsoft Corp. and Xiaomi Inc. have expanded the scope of their global collaboration to deliver innovative user experiences on mobile devices. As part of this agreement, Xiaomi smartphones and tablets with Android will come equipped with Microsoft Office and Skype apps. As a result, tens of millions of consumers and business customers in China, India and around the world will be able to work, communicate and collaborate with the new technology. The new agreement between the companies includes a cross-license and patent assignment agreement.

"We are delighted to be working closely with Microsoft on this full-fledged technology partnership," said Wang Xiang, Vice President of Xiaomi." As reflected in this agreement, Xiaomi is keen to develop sustainable, long-term partnerships with global technology leaders to deliver the best possible user experience for our Mi fans."

"People want their favourite apps to work seamlessly and the experience to be perfect on the devices they choose, and that's exactly what this partnership provides," said Peggy Johnson, Microsoft's vice president of business development. "Together with Xiaomi, we'll be able to deliver the best mobile productivity experience for millions of customers in China and around the world."

From September 2016, Xiaomi's Android devices - including the Mi 5, Mi Max, Mi 4s, Redmi Note 3 and Redmi 3 - will come with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Skype pre-installed. Some special offers may vary from device to device depending on the market and the specific mobile operator.

This is the deal that brought Windows 10 to the Mi Pad and upgrading Mi Cloud with Microsoft Azure. Partnering with companies like Xiaomi is central to Microsoft's strategy, as it helps them work with the world's industry leaders to meet the needs of their shared customer base.

source: http://en.miui.com/thread-288017-1-1.html