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Samsung extends regular phone security updates to four years
Samsung has extended regular security updates to four years for phones made from 2019 onward.
Samsung's Bixby leader leaves for Google
Samsung's ambitions in services just took a bit of a blow. ZDNet has learned that Samsung's software research CTO Injong Rhee has left the company to become an "Enterpreneur in Residence" at Google. The 7-year veteran was important to the development of Samsung Pay and the company's Knox security platform. He also led the initial deployment of Samsung's in-house AI assistant, Bixby. Whatever you think of those products, he made them stand out -- no mean feat in a company better-known for its cutting-edge displays and processors than its software.
Samsung brings Knox security to smart fridges and TVs
Samsung's Knox security is no longer limited to running on phones and tablets. The company has announced that it's integrating Knox across its connected devices, including TVs, appliances and even digital signs. As on mobile gear, it combines hardware and firmware updates to catch attempts to compromise a device.
Samsung Connect Auto brings LTE data to your car
You didn't think Samsung would stay out of the connected car race, did you? Sure enough, the Korean electronics giant has unveiled its own take on smarter vehicle tech in the form of Connect Auto. The Tizen-powered (and Knox-secured) dongle plugs into your car's OBD-II port and provides LTE data to everyone in the car through a WiFi hotspot. And like other connectors, it should help with your driving. The adapter promotes safer driving habits (including through insurance partnerships), keeps tabs on maintenance, helps you find your parked car and even alerts your contacts if you're ever involved in an accident.
Samsung says its new Tizen TVs will be harder to hack
Samsung has announced that its next generation of Tizen smart TVs will be a lot harder to crack than before. The firm has created Gaia, a security product for its 2016 range that promises to do for TV what Knox did for its smartphones. Some of the features promised include locking your credit card information with a smartphone-style pin, encrypting the data it sends out and a built-in anti-malware system. In addition, the TVs will ship with physical encryption chips to make it that much harder for others to access your microphone or, in some models, webcam.
Android for Work is ready to make your phone office-friendly
Remember Android for Work, Google's big effort to make your smartphone safe for business? It's finally ready for prime time. The officially launched initiative lets you keep work-related accounts and app info separate from personal affairs while maintaining security -- you don't have to worry that higher-ups will peek at (or worse, delete) your vacation photos. You'll only get full flexibility if you're using Android 5.0 Lollipop, which lets you create work profiles, but an app will grant you access to corporate-approved tools if you're running Android 4.0 or later.
The NSA can now use Samsung's Galaxy phones for classified work
Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets have just become the first consumer mobile devices approved by the US National Security Agency (NSA) to carry classified documents. The edict covers most of its newer Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, and the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet (2014 edition) -- as long as they're equipped with Knox, Samsung's mobile security app. Knox-enabled devices have already been approved by the US Department of Defense, but only for general, not classified, use. That's a shot of good news for Samsung in the face of recent dismal earnings, and it no doubt wants to translate the NSA's golden nod into consumer and corporate sales. Ironically, many of those potential customers may be paranoid... of the NSA.
Android for Work lets your personal and business data coexist on one device
If you've bemoaned the inability to use your personal Android phone for company business, Google has some heartening news. It just unveiled Android for Work, a code platform that lets your business and personal info coexist on a single device. The technology (derived from Samsung's Knox) keeps the data types separate without requiring any changes to existing apps. Every major Android manufacturer should have Android for Work certification in the fall, with promises of both guaranteed updates and full security. The office-friendly feature is baked into the Android L release from the start, but don't despair if you're toting an older device -- Google is promising an app that works on Android gadgets running Ice Cream Sandwich or later.
Samsung plans to bring biometric security to its low-end phones
The Galaxy S5 was widely tipped to launch with iris-scanning capabilities. When the crunch time came, Samsung played safe with only fingerprint sensor support. According to the Wall Street Journal, the eye-centric tech is still on the company's radar and could soon debut in new high- and low-end phones alike. "We're looking at various types of biometric [mechanisms] and one of things that everybody is looking at is iris detection," Samsung executive Rhee In-jong admitted today, adding that it would likely be included in flagship smartphones first. Like fingerprint recognition, iris scanning would likely form another link in Samsung's Knox platform, putting it in good stead with big organizations like the US government. Samsung's desire to "follow the market trend" often causes it to beat rivals to market with features that customers rarely use. Iris scanning could well be the next example.
Samsung announces security-minded Cloud Print apps for Android and iOS
Does anyone actually cable up to a printer anymore? Not if they're kitted out with Google Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, or Sammy's new alternative: Samsung Cloud Print. The service will launch with an Android app in June, followed by an iOS version in the second half of the year and possibly a Smart TV app at some point too, and all the apps will come with a number of promises about security. Users will have their data encrypted between their device and their inkjet, and those who also use Samsung's freshly updated Knox service are promised "enhanced security" through a level integration between Knox and Cloud Print. Finally, the Android app will also support NFC pairing, allowing a compatible mobile device to be connected to "as many as 20 printers with just a few simple taps" -- although that currently only applies to Samsung's small range of NFC-enabled Xpress-branded printers.
Samsung unveils Knox 2.0, lets users run Google Play apps even more securely
Exactly a year to the day after it first announced its Knox security solution, Samsung's returned to Mobile World Congress with news that it's making it even easier to secure and manage Galaxy devices. With the launch of Knox 2.0 today, Samsung's changed the way the platform handles Google Play apps, digitally securing their data without the need to run them in a dedicated Knox workspace. Before, personal- and work-related apps were separated, but Samsung says "most" Google Play apps can now live in Samsung's secure world. It's certainly serious about its new features, as CEO JK Shin popped up at the event to drive home Samsung's desire to nail the enterprise market. Samsung wants more secure apps across the board, so it's also launching Knox Marketplace, a dedicated cloud-based app store that lets tech managers grab apps and install them on all employee phones with a few clicks of a button. Box and GoToMeeting are already on board, and there are plenty of enterprise companies already working to make their apps available. Samsung tells us that the new features will begin rolling out in the second quarter, and it'll come pre-installed on the newly unveiled Galaxy S5. First-generation Knox users will get an upgrade to the new version as soon as their devices get an upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat -- whenever that may be. Steve Dent contributed to this report.
Verizon's Galaxy S 4 can now surf more LTE bands after Android 4.3 update
In a particularly punctual effort from Verizon, the carrier has begun feeding its Galaxy S 4 variant with Android 4.3 via an OTA update, after Samsung gave it the nod earlier this month. As the Korean company has been keen to iterate, this update adds Galaxy Gear compatibility to the flagship, as well as support for Sammy's Knox security platform and some other, minor software tweaks. Most importantly for Big Red customers, the software activates Band 4 as previously promised, meaning the handset is now able to cruise LTE over AWS frequencies where that new slice of spectrum is active. Those unburdened airwaves are currently offering some tantalizing speeds, which are now just an update away.
Samsung opens up Knox security platform to all consumers
Samsung's Knox security solution has tended to mostly garner headlines when the company's phones get approval from the likes of the US Defense Department, but it's now set to broaden its user base considerably. In addition to announcing that it's bolstering the offering with some help from Lookout, Samsung has also confirmed today that its opening the platform up to all consumers. That will give security-minded users an added layer of protection, with Knox letting you store personal data and run a set of pre-screened apps in a so-called container -- other apps can still be run outside the container, but with only limited access to your personal information. Naturally, you'll need a Samsung device to take advantage of it. The company says all of its upcoming devices will offer support for the service, and it's promising to provide details on commercial availability for the Galaxy S III, Galaxy S4, and Galaxy Note II "shortly." Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Samsung enlists Lookout to make Knox security even more securely secure
Lookout's looking to get into the business of business mobile security, and business, we're told, is good. In fact, the company's kicking things off with a Samsung partnership that'll bring its security software to devices using Knox, a deal targeted toward the ever-growing world of bring your own device workplaces. As the company puts it on its blog, "Wherever Knox will be, Lookout will be there, too." Lookout's also promised some additional information on its push into the business world, which is set to become widely available before 2013 draws to a close. And who knows, maybe we'll get some more details during Samsung's IFA press event later today.
Sprint Galaxy S 4 update adds Knox, app installs on SD cards (updated)
Samsung's big Galaxy S 4 update hit Europe a month ago; it's now spreading to the US through Sprint. The American patch adds much of what we saw in its international counterpart, including the option of moving supporting apps to the SD card. Business-minded customers also reportedly get access to the Knox security suite. Just be careful about upgrading if you're planning to install a custom ROM -- XDA-Developers members report that the bootloader has changed, but they haven't yet verified whether or not it's locked down. Those who aren't concerned about flexible firmware should receive the update soon, though, and we're hoping that other US carriers aren't far behind. Update: Early adopters jumped the gun -- Samsung tells us that this doesn't include Knox. Activation of that service is still coming at a "later date."
US Pentagon grants security clearance to iPad, iPhone
Earlier this month TUAW reported that iOS 6 had obtained FIPS 140-2 certification, "opening the door to more government use." It didn't take long for that door to swing wide open, as the Pentagon has now officially approved iPhones and iPads running a version of iOS 6 for use on secure government networks. Two weeks ago, Samsung devices running the Knox security layer and BlackBerry devices including the BlackBerry 10 smartphones and PlayBook tablets were given the nod by the US military. Adding Apple's iOS devices to the mix was part of the platform-agnostic plans of the Pentagon revealed in February. Those plans detailed adding wireless voice, video and data capabilities for classified and unclassified communications by October 2013. The approved devices will begin to be used more widely in the military and intelligence communities late in 2013 or in early 2014. iPhones and iPads already have a home in some parts of the government that don't require such strict security, but the new Pentagon certification should make for more widespread adoption of iOS. [via AppleInsider]
Samsung Knox gets official DoD approval for government use
Samsung announced in March that its Knox security suite would debut with the Galaxy S 4. That might not have happened exactly as planned, but just as the WSJ predicted the Department of Defense has given it the official hat-tip for use in government departments. Good news for Samsung, who will now see its Knox-enabled devices added to the alongside BlackBerry on the official list of approved hardware. This also represents the first time any Android devices have been deemed secure enough for use by US services. With iOS believed to be going through the same boot-camp trials, agencies could be about to get a lot more choice.
WSJ: Samsung Galaxy and iOS devices to be approved by US Defense Department
Our armed forces began embracing Android and iOS some time ago, and now it appears that the US Department of Defense is finally jumping on the bandwagon, too. The Wall Street Journal reports that the DoD will be announcing security approvals for Samsung Galaxy handsets, iPhones and iPads in the next couple weeks -- allowing them to join BlackBerry in the government's secure smartphone stable. Apparently, Samsung's approval was facilitated by its Knox security platform, which has been deemed secure enough to allow it to be used to send and receive internal emails, and Apple devices running iOS 6 and up are also expected to get the go-ahead for nonclassified communications. So, people of the Pentagon, it looks like it's only a matter of time before you can put down your BB7 handset and pick up a smartphone with a more modern OS.
Full Samsung Knox launch delayed until a 'later date'
The Galaxy S 4 launch was also supposed to mark the release of Knox, Samsung's plan to balance home life and work through software. Unfortunately, Galaxy owners will have to live slightly off-kilter for a while longer -- the company has officially delayed full Knox service to a "later date." While the GS 4 ships with the necessary underpinnings, both distributors and providers have to fall into place before the suite is completely ready. Samsung hasn't officially said when it expects Knox to arrive in earnest, although the New York Times claims that it may appear as late as July. Whether or not that's true, the setback adds to what's becoming a hitch-prone debut for Samsung's 2013 Android flagship.
Samsung's Knox security solution to launch with Galaxy S 4
Back at Mobile World Congress, Samsung filled us in about its Knox security suite, and now it's just announced that it'll ship on the Galaxy S 4. In case you need your memory jogged, Knox focuses on providing enterprise security features that let business and personal content coexist on the same handset. Like BlackBerry Balance, the solution cordons off work-related apps, email accounts and the like in secure containers, while keeping personal things without password protection. Though the GS4 will nab Knox first, other Samsung devices are set to receive it as well. %Gallery-182894% Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung's Galaxy S 4 event.
