Microsoft is now selling Samsung’s latest Galaxy Note device, the Note8, on its official store. The company already sells the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ on its official store, and Note8 is joining the Microsoft Store’s ever-growing line of Android devices.
Buying the Galaxy Note8 from the Microsoft Store won’t get you the true Microsoft experience. The device still ships with Samsung’s TouchWiz launcher, and you will have to manually install the Microsoft Launcher and other Microsoft apps, reports MSPU. Microsoft is still promoting the Note8 as a device that lets you “unlock true mobility” with the help of the company’s Office and other apps. “Now you can purchase a Samsung Galaxy S8 device and personalize your phone with the Microsoft Launcher It’s an app that includes favourites like Word, Excel, Onenote, Cortana, Outlook, and more. You can get the Microsoft Launcher in the Google Play store,” Microsoft mentioned in the product listing. As you might have noticed, the listing actually refers to the Galaxy Note8 as the regular Galaxy S8, which is most likely the result of a lazy copy-paste job.
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For those wondering, the Note8 is Samsung’s latest product for its Note line after the disastrous Note 7. The device boasts a gigantic 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display, 64GB of storage, 6GB of RAM, a 12MP dual camera setup on the back, an 8MP front-facing camera, a 3300mAh battery, and ships with Android 7.1.1.
As it stands, the Galaxy Note8 is the company’s most expensive smartphone available right now. It’s still cheaper than the iPhone X, coming in at $929.99. You can get one for yourself here from the Microsoft Store. Needless to mention, the device is only available in the United States from the Microsoft Store at the moment.
Bats
<p>I have a questions. Before clicking on to this post it reads "<span style="color: rgb(49, 50, 51);">Samsung’s Galaxy Note8 is joining the Microsoft Store’s ever-growing line of third-party Android devices today."</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(49, 50, 51);">Exactly, who is the third party here? The way I see it, Microsoft is the third party. Microsoft is not even the first or the second. Obviously Google is party #1 because they're OS and their popular suite of apps run the phone's show, while Samsung is clearly #2. I just don't get how the Note 8 can be considered "Third Party?"</span></p>
Stooks
<p>Sad honestly. Who want this?</p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#220346"><em>In reply to anchovylover:</em></a></blockquote><p>I agree it is a premium device, but who goes to the Windows store to buy one with a bunch of pre-loaded Microsoft apps?</p><p><br></p><p>People that buy a Samsung S8 of any kind are probably going to use Google apps and not Microsoft apps.</p><p><br></p><p>Sure there are a few WM fan's that might do this but enough to offer another companies phone with a major competitors OS in your store???? Ford does not make motorcycles so should they offer Honda motorcycles in their dealerships? </p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#220399"><em>In reply to anchovylover:</em></a></blockquote><p>I guess they can keep trying. This will be 3 strikes and you are out in terms of Windows on ARM. WM, RT and now this stuff.</p><p><br></p><p>At some point they just need to accept the truth, they missed the boat, and cut their loses. </p><p><br></p><p>Focus on being the best Enterprise, Cloud provider. Fix Windows 10, as in get rid of all that ad stuff, allow the telemetry to be turned off.</p><p><br></p><p>Heck I love the Xbox but honestly looking at Microsoft today why does this company have a gaming console? Sell that off to a company that will do great by it.</p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#220365"><em>In reply to ghostrider:</em></a></blockquote><p>Take away the fact that Samsung hardware is the most popular Android hardware. Microsoft is not going to be selling a Android device. </p><p><br></p><p>They are supposed to release Windows 10 devices on ARM next month or so they said. There is some Qualcomm event in December and I bet there will be some Windows 10 on ARM devices there. I do NOT have high hopes for this venture. It will be like RT all over again (Windows 8 on ARM). Yes they will have emulation mode now to run Win32 apps. The big question will be what will the performance be like in emulation mode on a ARM device. </p><p><br></p><p>It you want native performance then the apps will need to be ported. We saw how much developers loved both ARM based Windows OS'es in the past. (WM/RT).</p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#220380"><em>In reply to MachineGunJohn:</em></a></blockquote><p>"99.9% don't care about win32 emulation performance on their phone"</p><p><br></p><p>Very true and that is why 99.9% of smartphone users did not choose Windows Mobile. If they do not care about win32 on these devices exactly what reason would they have to choose a Windows on ARM device then? Fantastic app choices in the store?</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#220376"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>Quote: They are supposed to release Windows 10 devices on ARM next month or so they said… I do NOT have high hopes for this venture. It will be like RT all over again (Windows 8 on ARM). The big question will be what will the performance be like in emulation mode on a ARM device.</em></blockquote><p>No need to speculate about performance, for if one trawls through Geekbench benchmarks, one will come across a few interesting tidbits of information relating to Windows-<img src="">on-ARM.</p><p><br></p><p>The ASUS TP370QL appears to be one such Windows-on-ARM device due for imminent release, via link at archive.fo/30Twr (archived for posterity because a number of Windows-on-ARM Geekbench benchmarks have been removed recently).</p><p><br></p><p>One can garner from the model number, the ASUS TP370QL is likely to be one of the latest addition to the family of VivoBook Flip, having a 13" display and 4GB RAM whilst running an x86 version of Windows 10 Pro, evidently in ARM emulation mode.</p><p><br></p><p>A second, though unspecified device is visible at the link at archive.fo/tdaqU running an x86 version of Windows 10 S Insider Preview.</p><p><br></p><p>A third Windows on ARM device comes from HP, having an equally unintelligible model number, 2US29AV. This device is purported to come in two configurations, a 4 GB RAM with 128 GB UFS storage, and a 8 GB RAM with 256 GB UFS storage.</p><p><br></p><p>Lenovo is also said to have their offerings arriving soon. It has been previously mentioned in the media that aside from these tablet/laptop sized displays, 6" varieties should be expected too. For all intents and purposes, a six inch Windows-on-ARM device would be categorized as an on-the-go PC with phone capabilities and always-on connectivity.</p><p><br></p><p>With Microsoft have recently officially bid farewall to Windows 10 Mobile, with Joe Belfiore, in a series of Tweets in early October, acknowledging what most of us had already gathered, Microsoft shall seek to create a new portfolio of micro PCs with phone functionality, with the underlying engine of Windows-on-ARM driving a much needed third ecosystem in the current two horse-race (Android and iOS).</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#220389"><em>In reply to Locust Infested Orchard Inc.:</em></a></blockquote><p>I'm not sure what a "micro PC" is supposed to be but the Windows RT devices and Windows phones already made up the third ecosystem in the "horse-race", they just came in a distant last. </p><p><br></p><p>Setting aside any technical issues concerning Win32 applications, to comfortably run most legacy Windows programs will require a laptop form-factor. I don't see people cradling such a device next to their ear. If the idea is using a headset, they could do just as well with Skype.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#220604"><em>In reply to Bill_Russell:</em></a></blockquote><p>You're right, but it's a form following function thing. Just as physical keyboards and styluses aren't good as the primary input methods for a smartphone, small touchscreens aren't appropriate for using sophisticated applications. While there is some overlap, PCs and smartphones serve different purposes and there's really no need or advantage in trying to combine them. </p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<p>I await the day when Microsoft equips both its bricks and mortar and online stores with the Samsung Galaxy S9, featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and running Windows on ARM.</p>