Samsung and Microsoft are set to expand their partnership with the release of a custom version of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 Microsoft Edition will be sold through Microsoft Stores in the US, with Microsoft set to include additional productivity apps than those that came preinstalled on previous Samsung Galaxy smartphones, including Word, OneDrive and Skype.

Additional apps like Outlook, Bing and Groove will be included, along with integration with Microsoft owned applications like LinkedIn and Wunderlist. Even Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana, which could be seen as a competitor to Samsung’s own Bixby, will be included.

In a statement to Engadget, Microsoft said that its customisation would “help businesses harness the power of mobility”.

“A Microsoft customization is applied to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Microsoft Edition when the devices are unboxed and connected to Wi-Fi. This customization ensures customers a best-in-class productivity experience with Microsoft applications such as Office, OneDrive, Cortana, Outlook and more.”

Pre-orders are available now from Microsoft Stores in the US. ChannelNews has reached out to Microsoft Australia to find out whether the customised Galaxy S8 will be available locally.