Microsoft and Samsung team up on Windows Phone for enterprise, take on RIM

Microsoft is reportedly set to partner up with Samsung to push Windows Phone out to businesses. According to reports, the two companies are looking to form a similar partnership that Microsoft has developed with both Nokia and HTC with Windows Phone 8. This will come as a slight surprise to those who believe Samsung continue to place Windows Phone on the backbench while Android hardware remains top priority.

Head of B2B marketing on the Windows Phone team, Rikke Rasmussen has revealed that Microsoft will be pitching ideas with Samsung as soon as the manufacturing partner is ready. It's claimed that talks will kick off following the launch of the Samsung ATIV S. Rasmussen states a number of high-profile businesses have already switched from BlackBerry to Windows Phone, including a recent deal with HML Skipton - the UK’s fourth largest building society.

"Business is very important to us – [WP8] sits really well with SMBs. There are a lot of BlackBerry customers that are looking at other options, the full integration with Windows 8 makes sense and is cost effective for them. Everyone will be affected by BB10, it’s just a question of what that effect will be. It’s a big market though and there should be enough room for both of us. From our perspective, we will be trying to stay neutral with the manufacturers. We will be doing joint stuff with Samsung, as we do with HTC and Nokia, as soon as they are ready."

With the launch of BlackBerry 10, RIM has a long standing relationship with companies who remain loyal to the brand with employees sporting such hardware as company mobile phones. It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft and Samsung can tap into this market to drive up sales to not only consumers, but to the working world as well.

Source: Mobile News