Samsung takes Galaxy Note 8 Enterprise Edition to the US

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note 8 launched in mid-September and was instrumental in guiding the company to record earnings in the third quarter. After the disaster that was the Note 7, Samsung wisely played it safe and delivered what is arguably the company’s best consumer-focused smartphone to date.

Now, the South Korean electronics giant has set its sights on the enterprise market.
Samsung on Wednesday introduced the Galaxy Note 8 Enterprise Edition, an unlocked version of its latest flagship designed specifically for enterprise and SMB markets. It addresses what Eric McCarty, Vice President of Mobile B2B Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America, calls the IT Paradox – a push and pull between what enterprises require of IT to keep their organizations secure and productive and what employees have come to expect from mobile devices.

Key software features include Samsung Knox Configure and Samsung Enterprise Firmware Over the Air (E-FOTA). The former allows IT admins to quickly, securely and remotely configure and deploy custom mobile experiences while the latter helps them manage a fleet of devices through centralized OS and software version control, complete with scheduled updates.
Speaking of, the Galaxy Note 8 Enterprise Edition will receive regular monthly security updates for up to three years. Furthermore, Samsung assures customers that they’ll be able to purchase the same device model for up to two years after initial availability (today).
Aside from the added software tricks, the Enterprise Edition appears to be identical to the original Note 8.
The Galaxy Note 8 Enterprise Edition is available to order from today in the US via Samsung channel partners. It’s priced at $994, a roughly $50 premium over the standard consumer model.