Microsoft starts rolling out another new Android app, SMS Organizer
Microsoft is continuing its strategy of rolling out its own Android apps which are meant to provide basic, core functions. The latest such Microsoft app is called SMS Organizer and is designed to replace the SMS text-messaging app in Android users' phones.
Microsoft's SMS Organizer got its start as a Microsoft Garage incubator project, which targeted users in India. XDA Developers says SMS Organizer is rolling out more broadly now for customers in the U.S., U.K., and Australia via the Google Play Store.
SMS Organizer is meant to help users organize their SMS messages by categorizing SMS reminders and offers; block senders; and archive older messages. It can sort messages into separate folders using machine learning technology.
Microsoft has more than 150 apps published by different Microsoft teams in the Google Play Store, with a handful of them having more than 500 million downloads.
Microsoft's mobile strategy right now is heavily focused on trying to tie Android phones (and iPhones) more tightly to Windows 10 PCs. Simultaneously, Microsoft is developing all kinds of Android and iPhone applications -- mostly productivity-focused. As its recently expanded partnership with Samsung on Android, via which Samsung is bundling more Microsoft-developed apps on its Galaxy Note 10, shows, Microsoft is very interested in keeping a hand in Android any way it can.