China is the strange place where Microsoft sells Xiaomi phones instead of Windows Phones

When you go to Microsoft's Chinese web store, you'd probably expect to see a lot of hànzì and the same stuff Microsoft sells in every other store across the globe. Hehe! Hold right there. At this point, MS is bitterly aware that it has a brighter future as an Android reseller than a Windows Phone maker. Which explains why it's selling the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the USA, and the Xiaomi Mi 5s in China. There's not a single Windows Phone smartphone in the Chinese store.

Believing in the power of added value to convince people that it's not merely selling what it knows will sell, Microsoft pre-loaded the Xiaomi with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Skype. So it's not just a plain, ordinary Xiaomi 5s, but a Microsoft Edition Xiaomi 5s of sorts. Way to differentiate a product by putting Skype on it, fellas! Maybe I should start selling the Galaxy S8 with home screen wallpapers of me dressed in funny suits and call it Luis D's Galaxy S8 Maximum Goofball Edition. What do you think of this one?

To its credit, Microsoft does offer a 2-year MS Store warranty, which sounds more reassuring than what some shady online shop promised you in bold, pink Comic Sans writing. And besides, the Office apps rule for productivity! But an ultra-sleek Surface phone running a clean, shiny Android build sounds much more appealing than these so-called (or implied) Microsoft Edition phones. Make it happen, please!

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source: Microsoft Store China (Translated) via MS Power User

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7 Comments

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posted on 19 Apr 2017, 09:36 2

1. zunaidahmed (Posts: 1028; Member since: 24 Dec 2011)

Slow day for all of us.....Not much to look out for lately

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 09:50 1

2. Subie (Posts: 1319; Member since: 01 Aug 2015)

So they're bundling these phones with bloatware that can be removed by the end user. I guess they're hoping it will lure these consumers to become office 365 subscribers later. For myself, I liked having the free trial period on my phone but don't see the value of a $70 dollar annual fee here for just the personal subscription package.

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 10:17 1

3. Landon (Posts: 711; Member since: 07 May 2015)

Ahh the infamous Clippy. Brings back memories!

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 11:25

4. UglyFrank (Posts: 1930; Member since: 23 Jan 2014)

So if Microsoft are willing to comply with them, what is the reason for them not going worldwide?
Surely they must be paying some patents fees by now?

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 18:57

6. Crispin_Gatieza (Posts: 2084; Member since: 23 Jan 2014)

You got it all backwards. Companies pay Microsoft to use Android patents because MS owns quite a few of them. I'm sure Xiaomi made the same arrangement Samsung did a couple of years ago to let Microsoft put their apps on the Galaxy line in exchange for Samsung to pay reduced royalties.

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 12:24

5. XperiaFanZone (Posts: 2223; Member since: 21 Sep 2012)

some large tech companies do the same in the US so why isn't it referred to as "the weird place"?

posted on 19 Apr 2017, 22:18

7. yoghibawono (Posts: 234; Member since: 04 May 2016)

ehh? isnt Ms & Xiaomi have been working together since 2014? even mi4 got WP official build from Ms support team.