Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ will be available to buy directly from Microsoft.
Microsoft has shuttered the vast majority of its smartphone manufacturing business over the last few years, however that doesn’t mean it won’t sell other vendors’ products in its stores.
Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are now available to pre-order from Microsoft.
When the new entry in the best-selling Galaxy S range launches tomorrow, March 16th, customers will be able to buy the flagship phone online and in brick-and-mortar Microsoft stores.
Unlike previous years, the Galaxy smartphone available from Microsoft is not a so-called “Microsoft Edition”.
These are preloaded with a range of popular Microsoft apps, including Cortana, Excel, Skype, OneNote, PowerPoint, and Word.
A representative for the company told ZDnet that although in-store staff would be more than happy to help consumers install these apps after their purchase.
The spokesperson said: “The Samsung Galaxy S9 available at Microsoft Store is the same phone you can purchase elsewhere.
“Microsoft applications including Office, OneDrive, Cortana and Outlook do not come preinstalled, but when you purchase from a Microsoft Store, our experts can personalise the device with Microsoft’s productivity applications so every customer is able to work, play and connect on their device when they leave.”
Samsung took the wraps off the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ at Mobile World Congress on Sunday February 25th.
The all-new handsets boast a dramatically improved Dual Pixel camera with a variable aperture for improved quality in low-light.
The Galaxy S9 range also boasts a super slow-motion mode, which can shoot up to 960 frames-per-second for short bursts.
Galaxy S9+ owners will also benefit from a dual-camera system on the back of the phone for Live Focus, a feature which enables users to add an artificial bokeh blur to the background of portrait shots.
Underneath the bonnet is the top-of-the-range Qualcomm SnapDragon 845, which offers faster speeds and greater power efficiency.
This is coupled with 4GB of RAM in the Galaxy S9, and 6GB of RAM in the larger Galaxy S9+.
Both smartphones support fast charging over wired and wireless connections.
Samsung Galaxy S9 costs £739, while the S9+ carries a price tag of £869 if you’re looking to buy the handset SIM-free.