Samsung Targets Businesses Galaxy Note8 Enterprise Edition

Datamation content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More .

What Galaxy Note 7?

The Galaxy Note8’s successful launch on September 15 helped distance Samsung from the Note 7 debacle of 2016. So far, the Note8’s batteries have proven to be much safer than those in its fire-prone predecessor. The latest flagship phone from the South Korean electronics giant has also been generally met with acclaim by industry watchers.

Having emerged largely unscathed out of the critical first weeks of availability, the Galaxy Note8 is getting down to business.

Samsung kicked off November 2017 by announcing the Galaxy Note8 Enterprise Edition, a version of the phone with added mobile device management (MDM) capabilities for small and midsized businesses (SMBs) and large companies alike.

On the hardware front, Galaxy Note8 Enterprise Edition is virtually identical to the consumer version but it ships unlocked, allowing buyers to pick the carrier of their choice. In terms of management software, the smartphone includes Samsung Knox Configure and Samsung Enterprise Firmware Over the Air (E-FOTA), both of which help streamline the device deployment process at their organizations.

Samsung Knox Configure allows IT administrators to remotely configure and customize their employer-supplied devices, enabling organizations to issue branded and smartphones with specific settings to users. E-FOTA, meanwhile, allows IT departments to manage their device fleets, schedule updates and maintain consistency with software version control.

IT professionals, who frequently bristle at the thought of unwanted and potentially unsafe pre-installed software, or “bloatware,” have another reason to celebrate. “The unlocked Note8 Enterprise Edition has no pre-loaded carrier apps, so your organization can deliver a more predictable and consistent experience across devices and have greater freedom to customize device software,” states Samsung’s website.

Additionally, customers are entitled to regular monthly security updates for up to three years and a device availability assurance plan that ensures customers can acquire the same device models for up to two years after its release.

“Modern enterprises are dealing with a conflict when it comes to their mobile strategies—a push and pull between what they require of IT to keep organizations secure and productive, and what their employees have come to expect when using mobile devices,” said Eric McCarty, vice president of Mobile B2B Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, in a Nov. 1 announcement. “We call this the IT Paradox, and the Note8 Enterprise Edition helps solve it by providing simple and comprehensive tools for IT to manage and secure their mobile environment, while giving users a device they will love.”

The Galaxy Note8 Enterprise Edition is available now and sells for $994, slightly more than the $950 starting retail price for the standard Note8, although savvy buyers can save big on the standard Note8 if they shop around this holiday season.

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at Datamation. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.