19 May 2021
Samsung’s KPE extends beyond the core security and management functions embedded in the Android operating system. KPE protects Samsung devices with advanced security and management features that are more granular and unique. KPE licenses are designed to be activated and managed from within your existing unified endpoint management (UEM) infrastructure, and are also included as part of Samsung’s Knox Suite.
As threats increase in the mobile landscape with evolving attack vectors that impede remote work scenarios, we at Samsung feel that it is more important than ever to more easily provide you with the advanced protections that KPE ensures. With that in mind, we are pleased to announce that beginning on July 1, 2021, Samsung will provide KPE to you at no cost.
KPE will continue to be embedded within Samsung devices at the time of manufacture, and will continue to evolve with a robust roadmap of advanced new features that extend beyond those found within Android Enterprise. These include advanced threat detection and remediation capabilities, greater analytics, and deep integrations with leading horizontal and vertical solution providers around the globe.
For several years now, Samsung and Google have collaborated to harmonize Samsung’s KPE and Google’s Android Enterprise for a more unified experience. We are both committed to continuing to do so for the benefit of our customers. As the device manufacturer, Samsung ultimately determines how the device hardware and firmware components fuse together to provide the best user experience possible, with no compromise to trust and privacy. We, therefore, feel it is our responsibility at Samsung to go beyond those features and capabilities offered by Android Enterprise, and we will continue to lead the industry in this regard.
Samsung has equally collaborated with leading UEM solution providers since the advent of Knox, as well as other enterprise solution developers who make use of KPE, to provide capabilities that are best experienced on Samsung versus on other mobile devices or platforms. These partnerships will not only continue, but will be strengthened as we provide the full capability of KPE to our partners at no cost. We very much look forward to working with our Knox partners to bring deep and seamless integrations that benefit our customers.
Samsung is committed to customer satisfaction: we can assure you that this policy change in no way affects your current environment from a technical standpoint. This pricing change does not require any action from existing KPE customers. The only effect will be to eliminate this license cost in the future.
Other Knox solutions such as Knox Dual Data-At-Rest (DualDAR) and Knox Universal Credential Management (UCM) are not affected by this policy change: they will continue to be paid solutions.
We have included a frequently asked questions section but also encourage you to contact your local Knox reseller or Samsung account manager for any further questions.
1. Which Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE) licenses are affected by this policy change?
All paid KPE licenses (KPE-Premium and KPE-Customization, both Cloud and On-Premise) will be affected by this new KPE policy. Knox Dual Data-At-Rest (DualDAR) and Knox Universal Credential Management (UCM) capabilities will not be included in this policy change. These solutions will remain separate, paid licenses for those customers that require them.
2. Are other Knox products affected by this pricing change?
Only KPE (KPE-Premium and KPE-Customization, both Cloud and On-Premise) is affected by this policy change.
3. Does this policy change impact other solutions within the Knox product portfolio?
No, KPE pricing policy change doesn’t apply to KPE-DualDAR, KPE-UCM, Knox Suite, Knox E-FOTA, Knox Manage, Knox Configure, and Knox Capture.
4. What is Samsung’s KPE pricing policy before July 1, 2021?
Existing KPE pricing policy will continue to be in effect until July 1, 2021. Please contact your local Knox reseller or Samsung representative to get assistance with special pricing/ promotions during this interim period (until July 1, 2021).
5. I have license keys that will expire before July 1, 2021. What should I do?
Existing KPE pricing policy will continue to be in effect until July 1, 2021. Please contact your local Knox reseller or Samsung representative to get assistance with renewing your existing license key if it expires before July 1, 2021.
6. I have license keys that expire after July 1, 2021. Do I need to take any action?
Existing KPE Cloud licenses will be updated automatically after July 1, 2021. No action is needed from customers or Knox resellers to extend existing cloud keys. Customers will receive notifications regarding automatic renewal of existing KPE Cloud license keys. KPE On-Premise license key extensions can be extended as needed by customer request. Please contact your Samsung representative to get assistance with KPE On-Premise license needs.
7. Will Samsung issue refunds for KPE licenses purchased prior to this announcement?
Samsung will fulfill contractual obligations such as warranty and tech support until the end of the existing KPE license, no refunds will be issued.
8. What will happen to existing license keys? Will they need to be removed or updated within any IT infrastructure?
Samsung will provide any necessary licensing updates to eligible KPE Cloud customers so that they can continue to use their existing licenses beyond July 1, 2021. No action will be required for KPE Cloud customers. KPE On-Premise license keys can be extended as needed. Customers should contact their Samsung representative to get assistance with KPE On-Premise licenses.
9. How will Samsung support existing KPE customers once it is free?
Samsung will continue to carry contractual obligations such as warranty and tech support until the end of existing KPE licenses. Customers experiencing issues with their KPE deployment or with any Knox product, may submit a ticket via Samsung Knox Support. Customers that need dedicated support can purchase Samsung’s Enterprise Technical Support offering.
10. I do not use my Samsung devices with a UEM (they are unmanaged). How can I take advantage of KPE?
KPE capabilities can be embedded directly within mobile apps to create unique solutions on Samsung devices. Customers can gain access to these unique capabilities via our Knox partner solutions. Customers may also embed KPE features within their own in-house apps to leverage the power of our platform for their deployments. Starting on July 1, 2021, customers can request a free KPE key at samsungknox.com. Prior to July 1, 2021, please contact your Samsung representative or Knox reseller to get assistance with special pricing/promotions during this interim period.
11. I’m not using KPE today. What value will KPE offer my deployment?
KPE is Samsung’s government-grade mobile solution for IT admins to manage and secure Samsung phones, tablets, and watches for business. It provides a set of advanced and unique mobile device security management features to the underlying Android OS, enabling Samsung customers to achieve higher security standards. To learn more about KPE:
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