Google, Samsung integrate Knox into Android, eye enterprise gains

Summary: Samsung's Knox enterprise technology, which made Android more palatable for businesses, is being added to Android. 
 
Google said it will adopt Samsung's Knox Security technology, which is used in the enterprise, and incorporate it into Android.
 
The two companies, strong partners that are sometimes wary of each other, have cuddled up to take on the enterprise. Samsung was the lead in getting Android more enterprise credibility with Knox, but can only do so much by itself. The enterprise market share lead belongs to Apple's iOS with Android trailing. In fact, the enterprise market share is flipped compared to the consumer market.
 
Why? Security and various versions of Android make it harder to manage. Samsung set out to change that with container technology that separates personal and work personas---an approach Google is building into Android.
 
More importantly, Google is aligning Android device makers behind the mobile platform's new enterprise features and Knox so "there's one story to tell," said Android and Chrome chief Sundar Pichai.
 
Samsung said in a statement that having Knox in the broader Android community will help developers add more enterprise features to their apps. With Samsung's enterprise technology being added to Android rivals will be able to better pitch businesses. However, Samsung said it will "continue to provide the advanced, differentiated, and comprehensive enterprise mobility solution for enterprise customers."
 

 

~ Larry Dignan

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Samsung to arm Android handsets with built-in antivirus software

As mobile devices quickly become synonymous with a second computer (or even primary computer in some scenarios), the need for security is greater than ever. Samsung agrees with this ideology, and has teamed up with security firm Lookout to place antivirus protection on all of their new Android smartphones.
 
Lookout's technology will be integrated into Samsung's Knox security software, and is targeting business professionals who share the same device for both personal and work use. Lookout will supposedly bring real-time, cloud-based scanning to the platform, helping to eliminate threats that stem from email attachments, file-sharing services and internet browsers.
 
Although Samsung didn’t directly criticize Android’s built-in security offerings, their decision insinuates you can't entirely rely on the open source OS. According to Chicago cyber-security firm Trustwave Holdings Inc., approximately 200,000 pieces of malware were found on the Google platform in 2012, nearly 50,000 more than the previous year.
 
Security specialists point to Android fragmentation as the source of the problem. Older versions of the Android OS are non-compatible with the new security updates provided by Google, leaving them vulnerable to attack. The Google Play marketplace has also been criticized for its lax security measures and inability to effectively screen for harmful applications.
 
Despite these concerns, Google is adamant that the problem is being overblown. “There’s not really a significant amount of risk that users are being exposed to,” explained Android’s security engineer, Adrian Ludwig, “It’s also, frankly, nothing like the risks they accept in their daily lives.”
 
It’s also important to note that there are vast differences between deploying antivirus software on a desktop computer to that of a smartphone. For one, mobile devices are often scolded for their poor battery life; a situation that is made even worse by constantly checking-in to the security firm's servers. Furthermore, most mobile operating systems don’t provide unrestricted access to system files in the way that traditional computers do.
 
It'll be interesting to see how Lookout plans to overcome these barriers, and if their software provides any formidable defense against potential malware attacks.
 
~ David Tom

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Samsung unpacks trio of Galaxy devices at IFA: Note 3 phablet, the Gear smartwatch and the Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Samsung on Wednesday hosted the second edition of their Unpacked Event in Berlin just ahead of IFA 2013. As anticipated, the Korean tech giant showcased two key products (and one surprise device) in their ever-expanding Galaxy line of devices – the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition – in typical Samsung over-the-top fashion complete with an orchestra and all.
 
The Galaxy Note 3 features a new soft textured leather-like plastic back cover with stitching around the edges and a very thin front bezel. It now has a more premium look and feel – something that critics have complained about for some time when compared with metal designs from Apple and HTC. Rear panel cover colors include black, white and pink.

Despite having a larger screen, the Note 3 is actually thinner and lighter (5.9 ounces versus 6.4 ounces) than previous iterations. It includes a 5.7-inch SuperAMOLED 1080p display operating at 1,920 x 1,080 with 368 ppi pixel density, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor for LTE models or a 1.9GHz Samsung Exynos Octacore for 3G variants, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with High CRI LED flash and smart stabilizer, 2-megapixel front shooter, 3GB of RAM, 32B or 64GB of storage, a microSD expansion slot, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and a 3,200mAh battery.

There’s a new and improved S Pen as well as category 4 LTE technology. The latter promises support for all types of LTE networks around the world. The device will ship running Android 4.3 and will come pre-loaded with Samsung Knox security software. It will ship on September 25 globally and arrive in Japan and the US starting in October.

Galaxy Gear is described as the true companion for Galaxy Note although it will work with a myriad of Galaxy devices via software update. Available in six different colors, the device itself is crafted from stainless steel and features a camera embedded in the wrist strap. Gear is capable of displaying various information like text messages or e-mails and it can even initiate a phone call through voice control. With a speaker and microphone strategically positioned in the wrist strap, you can talk through the watch by holding it near your face. This allows you to make and receive calls without taking your phone out of your pocket.

The Galaxy Gear carries a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320. The strap-mounted camera isn't terribly impressive with a 1.9-megapixel BSI sensor and auto-focus lens. Inside is a single core 800Mhz processor, a 315mAh non-removable battery that's reportedly good for up to 25 hours of use, two internal microphones with noise cancellation support, a speaker, Bluetooth 4.0, accelerometer, gyroscope, 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM. Expect to pay $299 for the timepiece when it ships in October.

Samsung's new Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition boasts the same 10.1-inch screen size as before in a package that weighs a little more than two ounces less than its predecessor. This time around, however, the device boasts a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 (299 ppi) thanks to the WQXGA Super Clear LCD screen.

Inside is an 8,220mAh battery, options for 16GB / 32GB / 64GB of storage, a microSD card slot, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front shooter and the same 2.3GHz quad-core / 1.9GHz octa-core processor that will power the Note 3. It's also running 3GB of system RAM and will ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The Note 10.1 2014 Edition will ship in three different models: Wi-Fi only, Wi-Fi with 3G and Wi-Fi with LTE. It will be available in black and white during the third quarter although an exact release date and pricing hasn't been set as of writing.

 

~ Shawn Knight

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