This step makes complete sense. While its enterprise sales are stellar, Apple isn't courting the enterprise. Yes, Apple's improved its security and made some minor concessiona to support Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. However, Apple isn't willing to create any features that will help IT but compromise consumer user experience. Microsoft has just begun its push with Windows Phone and the Surface Tablets. Blackberry appears to be making a comeback but it's still viewed as weak. IT fully recognizes the mobile security challenges and Android is viewed as a fragmented operating system that lacks security. The “Security Threat 2013” report from Sophos said it best. "Another trend we are seeing is the changing nature of the endpoint device, transforming organizations from a traditional homogeneous world of Windows systems to an environment of diverse platforms. Modern malware is effective at attacking new platforms and we are seeing rapid growth of malware targeting mobile devices. While malware for Android was just a lab example a few years ago, it has become a serious and growing threat" said Gerhard Eschelbeck, Sophos CTO.
Samsung recognizes that security is a key component for success in the enterprise. It incorporates security enhanced (SE) Android developed by National Security Agency (NSA), and integrity management services implemented in both hardware and the Android framework. KNOX also provides a container solution that separates business data from personal applications on a mobile device. The Samsung container is meant to provide robust enterprise data security while allowing the consumer to use its personal applications as it normally would. Samsung has sexy tablets but it needs to convince businesses to build applications and workflows for Android. KNOX is designed to minimize IT’s fear of Android and take a bite out of Apple’s booming tablet business. Lopez Research believes Samsung will extend KNOX to other operating systems that Samsung may support such as Windows and Tizen.
What does KNOX mean for the industry? There is a debate about where security lives and how much security is enough. There is debate about how much management is required for mobile devices. Samsung’s announcement highlights the market trend of building security into every layer of the communications from the device, through the cloud and into the corporation. KNOX is a Samsung-specific solution for enterprise mobility management (EMM) that is built on proprietary and OEM partner solutions from the burgeoning security and EMM vendor landscape. It’s important for Samsung to fill any perceived security holes but companies will need to build a strategy that supports this type of functionality for all types of devices and operating systems. These types of security and management solutions existed for the PC but now we need to create them to support the next generation of mobile and cloud computing. Given that Samsung was already gaining ground in the tablet market, KNOX should help Samsung make deeper inroads into the enterprise and curb Apple's runaway lead in tablet sales.
Does KNOX make it easier for your organization to support Android? Leave me a comment here or send me a message on Twitter @MaribelLopez. I’ll also be sharing my thoughts on the new mobile ecosystem and the intersection of mobile and cloud at several upcoming live events over the next few weeks.
