10 Ways Samsung Is Trying to Appeal to the Enterprise

In attempt to bolster its standing with enterprise buyers, Samsung unveils its new Enterprise Device Program and enhancements to its mobile security services.

Samsung may have tried its luck with Tizen, but the company has acknowledged that Android is its future. In its statement on Feb. 22, the company said that it believes “Android is a secure and trusted platform,” adding that it’s one that the corporate world should embrace. Samsung says its newly announced Enterprise Device Program will be available solely on Android and not other platforms such as BlackBerry 10 or Windows 10.

Android for Work is a key ingredient in the new security program. The productivity platform designed by Google is getting additional security features, courtesy of Samsung’s Knox solution. Samsung Knox will keep the firewall between personal and work data more secure and provide IT staff with additional control over how employees use devices that was not previously available in Google’s platform. The companies will share more details on that integration in the coming months.

In addition to Android for Work, Samsung has committed to bundling Knox in future high-end devices, including its Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Samsung said in a statement that it believes Knox can fulfill the corporate world’s desire for productivity and security. So it will continually update Knox in the coming years.

Samsung made the somewhat surprising announcement that its new security efforts will only apply to the newly announced Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. Corporate customers who own older devices, in other words, are not eligible for the key features that will harden Android for Work or make the Enterprise Device Program appealing.

Aside from the Android for Work and Knox security improvements, Samsung announced the Enterprise Device Program. The program is designed to make it easier for companies to buy Samsung devices and feel assured that they’re being continually maintained and updated. However, like the Android for Work upgrade, the Enterprise Device Program is only available for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge.

The Two-Year Device Purchase Program is one component in the Enterprise Device Program. Corporate customers will be provided with “two-year purchase assurance,” allowing them to buy a device up to two years from when it was first available. Having two years to buy a handset matters in a corporate world where managing refresh cycles and ensuring the right device is in the right employee’s hands matter greatly.

Samsung has committed to monthly security updates starting with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. That is undoubtedly something companies will welcome. One frequently heard criticism of Android smartphones is that they often aren’t updated when security flaws are discovered, leaving users vulnerable. By committing to monthly updates, Samsung is saying that at least its corporate customers likely won’t need to worry about that.

Samsung is clear, however, that to be successful at delivering monthly security updates, it needs to have partnerships in place. The company says it will engineer the monthly patches but will rely upon mobile carriers to ultimately push them out to devices. So, it depends on how much carriers are prepared to cooperate with Samsung to get security patches out to affected mobile devices on a timely basis.

Samsung said that Google is another important partner in its plan to secure devices. The companies are now collaborating to find and fix Android security flaws. Samsung and Google also have committed to working together on Android for Work to ensure the Knox security integration is seamless. Without Google’s involvement, the new Samsung program could have far less appeal to corporate users.

Although the upgrades are far-reaching and could improve overall mobile security for enterprise customers, Samsung has not changed how it will charge for its services. Samsung’s announcement was simply an upgrade to its security services to attract more enterprise users. This is not a revenue enhancement scheme for Samsung. It’s an attempt to be a bigger presence in enterprise mobile security. But if it is a success, it could still help Samsung sell more hardware to corporate buyers.