CIOs, it’s time to rethink your mobile device lifecycle
Let’s start with an uncomfortable question: how much risk is hiding in devices that are no longer receiving security updates?
Enterprise mobility management (EMM) and mobile device management (MDM) solutions can give IT visibility across a device fleet. But visibility is only part of the equation. CIOs also need to know how long devices will be supported, when they’ll need to be replaced, and what that means for security, lifecycle planning, and operations.
When devices are purchased and deployed at different times, lifecycle planning can quickly become complex. That’s where Samsung Galaxy Enterprise Edition comes in: giving organizations more predictable procurement and lifecycle terms, plus tools designed to simplify deployment and ongoing operations.
Take the guesswork out of device refreshes with Galaxy Enterprise Edition
Samsung
Here’s what Galaxy Enterprise Edition can offer, depending on the model and market:
- Extended security maintenance releases, with supported models receiving up to 7 years—and select models up to 8 years—from first global launch.
- A 3-year warranty on eligible devices launched in 2024 or later.
- An extended product life cycle, helping organizations purchase the same device model over a longer period and support more consistent deployments.
- Published security update information available through Knox Admin Portal, helping IT track security update schedules, release history, and expected update dates.
That last one deserves a moment. It turns “When does this device stop getting patched?” from an archaeology project into a quick lookup. IT can see the plan before it becomes a problem.
Key point for a CIO: Published dates help turn lifecycle risk into something you can plan for. Your security team gets a deadline, procurement gets a calendar, and finance is less likely to discover replacement costs mid-quarter.
Security starts with the device
Samsung
Predictable lifecycle planning matters. But those devices still need a strong security foundation.
That’s where Samsung Knox comes in. Galaxy Enterprise Edition devices benefit from the same multilayered Samsung Knox security platform built into Samsung Galaxy devices from the chip up.
On supported devices, that includes Knox Vault, which uses a physically isolated processor and memory to help protect sensitive information such as cryptographic keys from attacks against the main operating system.
The distinction matters. Galaxy Enterprise Edition isn’t a separate security architecture bolted onto Galaxy devices. It combines the built-in security foundation of Galaxy with enterprise-focused lifecycle, deployment, and management benefits.
Key point for a CIO: Device security shouldn’t depend on adding protection after deployment. With Galaxy, security begins with the device itself.
Knox Suite helps you get moving faster
Samsung
Galaxy Enterprise Edition devices include a one-year subscription to Knox Suite – Enterprise Plan (region-dependent), helping IT teams get the tools they need to deploy, manage, and monitor devices without separately procuring multiple solutions. Here are a few included products:
- Knox Mobile Enrollment: Streamlines device enrollment and helps keep devices connected to your organization even after a factory reset.
- Knox Manage: Gives IT centralized control over device and app policies.
- Knox E-FOTA: Gives IT control over OS update deployment, so teams can validate updates before broader rollout.
- Knox Asset Intelligence: Provides fleet-wide insights into device health, battery performance, and connectivity.
The bigger benefit isn’t simply having more tools. It’s reducing the work required to procure and implement them separately, helping IT move from purchase to deployment and ongoing management faster.
Key point for a CIO: Knox Suite works alongside your existing EMM, not instead of it. No migration, no rip-and-replace, no six-month project that shows up in next year’s roadmap as someone else’s problem.
One device portfolio, more enterprise use cases
Galaxy Enterprise Edition is available across a broad range of Galaxy devices, including select Galaxy S and A series, Galaxy Tab series, and rugged devices such as the Galaxy Tab Active series and Galaxy XCover series*.
That means organizations can support different roles—from executives and knowledge workers to frontline and field teams—while maintaining a more consistent approach to procurement, security, deployment, and management.
Key point for a CIO: More consistency across your device fleet can mean less complexity for IT and more predictable lifecycle planning.
Why this matters now
Mobile is no longer the convenience tier. It holds the same credentials, the same customer data, and the same access as any laptop in the building—and attackers have noticed.
Verizon’s 2026 DBIR found that mobile devices now draw click rates roughly 40% higher than traditional email, and that exploiting unpatched software has overtaken stolen credentials as the most common way in. An unsupported device sits precisely where those two trends meet.
Key point for a CIO: Ask any device vendor for their security support window in writing. The specificity of the answer tells you how much of your lifecycle risk they’re actually willing to carry.
Galaxy Enterprise Edition brings together a predictable lifecycle, enterprise deployment and management tools, and the built-in security foundation of Samsung Galaxy devices. For CIOs, that means fewer surprises across the device lifecycle—and a clearer plan from deployment through retirement.
*Device availability may vary by region. Contact your local reseller for details or visit samsung.com/business.