Software : Microsoft to pre-install Office, Skype on more Android devices

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Microsoft to pre-install Office, Skype on more Android devices Posted: Depending on which side of the divide you're on with Microsoft services, your next Android device could be shipping with either more useful apps or more bloatware. Microsoft announced that it has signed a deal with 11 Android OEMs, including Samsung, to bring Microsoft services to tablets and devices running Google's Android operating system. Under the terms of the deal, apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype will come pre-loaded on Android devices. In addition to the Samsung partnership announced at MWC 2015, Microsoft announced that it has reached agreements with Dell, TrekStor, JP Sa Couto, Datamatic, DEXP, Hipstreet, QMobile, Tecno, Casper, and Pegatron. "For OEMs, these deals will increase the value of and enrich people's experiences on Android devices," Microsoft EVP of business development Peggy Johnson said in a statement. "And for Microsoft, this is part of the company's mobile-first, cloud-first vision.  It is addressing consumer demand for top services by making them already available on a device, instead of requiring consumers to download them separately." This means that Microsoft's apps and services will ship alongside Google's apps and services such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides out of the box. A competitive, yet profitable relationship Although Microsoft competes with Android in the mobile space with its Windows Phone platform, soon to be renamed as Windows 10 for phones, the company has historically enjoyed a profitable relationship with Android manufacturers. Microsoft has licensing agreements with top Android OEMs for patents that Android infringes on. Most recently, the company was engaged in a lawsuit with Samsung over unpaid royalties on licensing, and it's unclear if the latest deal with Samsung to pre-load Microsoft apps on its Android devices, including the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge flagships, is a direct result of that lawsuit. Microsoft is also partnering with Xiaomi to create a custom ROM for that company's Android devices to run Windows Phone instead of Android. Read why businesses should consider adopting the Galaxy S6

Instagram wants to shutter pic-stitching competitors with new 'Layout' app Posted: Instagram has long been missing one feature that's caused many users to download third-party apps like Pic Stitch and PhotoCollage, and that feature is still missing today. However! Instagram has launched its own separate app, Layout, that it hopes will take the place of all those other collage-makers. The Layout app is currently available on iOS, with an Android version arriving "in the coming months." It lets users stitch images together, add mirroring effects and do more detailed editing than what's available within Instagram itself. It's detailed in an Instagram blog post. Flexibility for creativity "People want flexibility to stretch their creativity of what's possible with photos - from mirrored landscapes to sharing multiple sequential moments together - but there hasn't been a simple way to do it, especially in a single app," an Instagram spokesperson told TechRadar today. Unfortunately there's still no single app that can make collages and then share them to your Instagram followers. It would have been great for these features to make their way into the actual Instagram app, but the company is likely more interested in keeping its core experience simple. For now users will have to judge for themselves whether it's worth switching to Layout and exporting to Instagram from there. Here's what we want to see at IFA 2015

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