Citrix Collaborates with Samsung to Deliver Desktop Experience on Samsung Galaxy S8 with Samsung DeX

As enterprises increasingly embrace mobile business strategies, people continue to carry as many as three devices with them, including laptops, smartphones and tablets. To lighten that electronics load, make people more efficient and help businesses reduce costs, Samsung is introducing Samsung DeX that – when combined with Citrix Receiver – converts the new Samsung Galaxy S8 into a desktop environment that includes an optimized UI for multi-tasking with keyboard and mouse support, resizable window capabilities, task bar pop-up notifications and more.

The combination of Citrix and Samsung DeX unboxes the phone and provides employees with secure access to their digital workspace and all of the business apps and data they need to get their work done.

In addition to the preferred solution that combines Citrix innovation with Samsung DeX, Citrix also offers support and integration for Samsung devices that include XenMobile enterprise mobility management, security features and secure virtual access to apps and desktops through XenApp and XenDesktop, and support for Secure Apps with Samsung Knox at the native Android OS layer.

Citrix XenMobile also supports new Samsung capability known as Enterprise Firmware-Over-The-Air (E-FOTA). Samsung E-FOTA enables IT admins to take greater control over when devices get updated, as well as what version is updated. This Samsung capability provides IT with native device control without sacrificing user flexibility.

“While many people use their smartphones for business, they usually turn to a laptop or desktop when they need to use Windows or browser-based apps,” said Maribel Lopez, founder and principal analyst, Lopez Research. “Even though VDI or app virtualization lets them run Windows applications on their smartphone, the Windows experience does not always translate well to a small touchscreen. To address this issue, vendors have worked to develop solutions that make it easier to connect smartphones to a keyboard, mouse and a monitor. The solution that succeeds has significant market potential.”

This unique collaboration between Citrix and Samsung literally lightens the load for organizations and employees while providing greater security and flexibility for people who spend all or part of their day working outside of the office. This solution enhances security and productivity by enabling people to securely use their phone in the field. Then when they are in the office, they can connect to the Samsung DeX, converting their phone into a desktop-like experience without losing any phone capabilities to securely access their apps and data through Citrix Receiver, XenApp and XenDesktop.

For example, insurance claims adjusters can securely use their Samsung Galaxy S8 out in the field assessing claims, and then return to the office, plug into their DeX station and complete reports using a full desktop-like environment. Police officers can use their phones to enter tickets and take notes while on patrol using Citrix Secure Forms, and then return to the station, plug into the DeX station and complete their reports using a fully functional desktop-like environment.

“The Samsung DeX lets people use their Galaxy S8 like a desktop computer, using solutions, including Citrix Receiver, XenApp and XenDesktop, as our preferred technologies to enable customers to securely access and use their Windows and browser-based applications, just as they would with a traditional laptop,” said Injong Rhee, CTO of the Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “This is not science fiction, this is true, business-driven innovation.”

The Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone and Samsung DeX will be available in Q2, 2017.