Samsung and Citrix have announced that they are collaborating on Samsung DeX, which is capable of using the Samsung Galaxy S8 to enable a desktop experience.
Samsung DeX allows Samsung’s new flagship smartphone to be used, in tandem with the Citrix receiver and a monitor, as a desktop computer.
The announcement was made this week at the Samsung Unpacked event in London and New York which also saw the official reveal of the new Samsung Galaxy S8.
Injong Rhee, CTO of the Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, said: “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.”
“This is not science fiction, this is true, business-driven innovation.”
Samsung DeX is designed to be a portable business strategy, as enterprises aim to become more mobile. Instead of having to carry multiple devices, Samsung hopes that DeX will be an all-in-one solution.
The Citrix receiver will allow the S8 to fully replicate a desktop experience that will include keyboard and mouse support, resizable window capabilities, and an optimised UI.
Read more: Samsung breathes new life into Galaxy S8 with revamped design
The new 10nm processor, the smallest ever to be in a phone, gives the S8 enough processing power in such a small space to be used in a way that Samsung says will be ideal for travellers or those without the space for a hefty computer tower.
Maribel Lopez, founder and principal analyst, Lopez Research, said: “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.”
“Even though VDI or app virtualisation 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.”
The Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone and Samsung DeX will be available in Q2, 2017.
