Samsung and MS's 'Platform Alliance'... Coalition to Catch Apple

Galaxy Unpacked Highlights Xbox and Windows 10 Integration
Expanding Windows 10 and Galaxy Connectivity for Synergy
Mobile Apps Run on PC, Galaxy Tab S7 Functions as Monitor

Gamer Myth is playing Xbox games by connecting the Galaxy Note20 with a controller. (Source: Galaxy Unpacked video capture)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The close collaboration between Samsung Electronics and Microsoft shone through in the Galaxy Note20. By strengthening the linkage between smartphones, tablets, and PCs, they have emerged as a new platform alliance to counter Apple.

On the 5th, Samsung Electronics announced the results of its collaboration with Microsoft at the online Galaxy Unpacked event. Through the integration of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones with Microsoft’s Xbox and Windows 10, they presented a new direction of cross-platform cooperation. The two companies, which had been fighting Apple individually, have begun to demonstrate synergy by forming an alliance instead of going it alone.

By linking Xbox’s cloud gaming to the Galaxy Note20, they expanded the gaming experience beyond mobile games. The Xbox Game Pass app is available on the Galaxy Store, and when connected to an Xbox game controller, users can enjoy games using their smartphone as a monitor. With the official launch of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on September 15, over 100 PC and console games can be played on the smartphone.

In particular, the platform integration between Windows 10 and Galaxy is groundbreaking. It eliminates the hassle of switching between PC, tablet, and smartphone while working. Without needing mobile messengers or third-party note apps, or transferring files via USB cables, PC and smartphone linkage has become simple. Using the 'Link to Windows' feature on the Galaxy Note20, photos and files stored on the smartphone can be easily transferred. It is also possible to use smartphone apps simultaneously on the PC. A new feature will allow multiple apps installed on the phone to be opened on a Windows 10 PC.

You can sync and check reminders saved on your smartphone from a Windows 10 PC, and also check calls and messages on your smartphone. (Source: Galaxy Unpacked video capture)

Samsung Notes and Microsoft’s Office programs such as OneNote and Outlook synchronize directly on the PC, allowing work done on the smartphone to be checked on the PC. The two companies are optimizing apps like PowerPoint, Word, and Excel for the Galaxy Z Fold2 display and are also working on collaboration that allows the Galaxy Tab S7 to be used as an external display for Windows 10.

Philip McClure of Microsoft said, "Samsung and Microsoft are connecting smartphones and PCs more closely. Previously, to check Samsung Notes and Reminders while using a PC, you had to switch between the two devices, but now it’s possible within the PC app." He added, "You can check reminders in Teams or To Do apps, respond to missed calls on the PC just like on the smartphone, and return to PC work seamlessly."

He continued, "With Microsoft’s Your Phone app, you can check notifications, texts, photos, and calls from the Galaxy Note20. You can use Android apps from the Galaxy Note20 directly on the PC. Without logging in again, you can use apps with the PC screen, keyboard, and mouse, and simultaneously use your favorite mobile apps."

Recalling the frustrating experience of not being able to check or edit documents worked on a PC when away from the office, this news is certainly welcome. Although a foreign media outlet dismissed the Galaxy Note20 as a "product suited for a bygone era," it is hard to deny that easy linkage without needing to turn on a PC or be in front of one can quickly solve problems.

Without 'openness and innovation,' obsolescence is inevitable. Microsoft, once invincible in the PC era, painfully lost its presence in the smartphone market by insisting on its own platform. Samsung, having partnered early with Android and secured the number one spot in smartphones, built the Galaxy ecosystem, but still has many shortcomings compared to Apple in terms of software features. As the collaboration and alliance between the two companies become closer and expand, the synergy will grow.