Microsoft teams up with Samsung to squeeze out Google

Microsoft on Monday announced a new and improved agreement with Samsung to pre-load Microsoft Office apps on Samsung's Android tablets.

Plus, Microsoft announced that it had lined up 11 other Android device makers to do the same, including close partner Dell. The apps include Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, OneDrive, and Skype.

This follows the agreement Microsoft and Samsung announced last month where Samsung would load certain Microsoft cloud apps on Samsung's next flagship Android phones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge.

This is an interesting way for Microsoft to attack its old nemesis, Google.

Google controls the Android operating system and gives Android away for free to device makers. It makes money on Android from things like integrating search into these devices, getting a percentage when people buy apps, and by encouraging people to use these phones with its other paid services, like Google Apps.

While Microsoft won't exactly be cutting off Google's ability to make money on Android, it's got a foot in the door with this Samsung deal.

That's because Samsung seems to be making good on its promise to let people delete unwanted apps from its Android devices.

A leak of the S6 edge on Android developer's forum XDA on Saturday shows that the pre-loaded Microsoft apps can be removed. Those apps include OneNote (note-taking), OneDrive (storage), and Skype.

But so can the pre-loaded Google apps, including some services typically baked into Android like Gmail, Drive, even Google search.

XDA member Jeshter2000, who claimed to be in possession of an S6 Edge, posted a photo (see picture, right) showing the options to delete Google apps.

And that means, if you so wish, you can turn these next-generation Samsung phones into Microsoft friendly phones, and ditch Google.