Ruggedized Tablets Tackle Harsh Environmental Demands

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1 Ruggedized Tablets Tackle Harsh Environmental Demands Organizations appreciate the value of tough tablets designed to function in industrial settings and other non-office roles

2 Executive summary As tablet computers have grown in popularity, it has become clear that not all tablets are suited for every work task or environment. In particular, tablets designed primarily for consumers may not have the power, functionality or ruggedness required of devices used in some non-office settings. Those setting can range from in-vehicle deployments to field work in dirty and wet conditions to a range of other relatively harsh environments. Among other demands, some organizations require tablets that: Can survive drops and other shocks, water penetration and extreme temperature fluctuations. Can function for 10 hours or more on a single charge, and users should be able to replace the battery quickly and easily Can communicate over 3G/4G cellular, Wi-Fi and, possibly, Near Field Communications (NFC) links Can be easily viewed and used in direct sunlight Can be easily managed and secured The requirements don t end with the capabilities of the devices themselves. Industrial and other commercial tablet users also need tablets backed by both a strong software partner ecosystem, and by a vendor that offers service plans, extended warranties and other commercialgrade support programs. 2

3 Tablet computing devices took the consumer market by storm during the past few years by filling the size and functionality gap that exists between laptop and ultrabook PCs and smartphones. More recently, tablet devices have made steady inroads into industrial and other enterprise and governmental environments. This tablet migration from consumers to business and other users has been aided by the proliferation of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs in organizations that let their employees use personal devices to perform work-related tasks. In a 2013 survey of more than 1,600 organizations, IDG Enterprise found that more than half were already letting employees use their own devices to do work either at or away from the office. Tablets represent an increasing percentage of the personal devices being brought into work environments in this consumerization of IT trend, and tablets popularity, in turn, is causing more organizations to purchase these devices themselves to serve as employerprovided computing platforms. Consumer-grade tablets aren t always an ideal match for commercial-grade business demands and requirements. Whether they enter work environments via BYOD or corporate-purchasing programs, however, one fact has become increasingly clear: not all tablets are an ideal match for the durability and reliability challenges posed by some industry tasks and environments. Tablet functions and requirements can vary considerably by industry sector, as well as by the nature of any given employee s job. Some work-related tasks don t strain the capabilities and robustness of tablets any more than a typical consumer s tablet usage. Other jobs, however, can involve environmental stresses, operational requirements and other conditions that surpass the design specifications and functionality of tablets built primarily for personal use. Beyond their need for more rugged and more powerful tablets, industrial and other commercial users also typically require other accommodations that surpass the needs of individual consumers. Those extra needs can include everything from stronger tablet security protections to longer device warranties and comprehensive service plans. Some tablet manufacturers have attempted to repurpose their consumer products for heavier duty use and broader functionality, but these efforts often involve compromises of one type or another. By contrast, Samsung has fielded a tablet the Samsung GALAXY Tab Active built from the ground up to function as an industry-grade device. In addition, Samsung has surrounded the GALAXY Tab Active with a variety of complementary programs and services tuned to address the needs of demanding corporate, government and other institutional customers. 3

4 Tablets migrate to the enterprise Given the large size of the consumer device market compared to the corporate device market, it s not surprising that mass-market tablets constitute the majority currently sold. In 2013, consumer tablets accounted for 89 percent of the million tablets shipped worldwide, according to market research firm IDC. Still, the enterprise share of the tablet market is increasing. The 11 percent share enterprise tablets held in 2013 will grow to 18 percent share by 2018, IDC predicts. The Samsung GALAXY Tab Active is built from the ground up to function as an industry-grade device. Enterprises have warmed to tablets thanks to their ability to offer much of the power and functionality of laptop PCs and ultrabooks with nearly the same portability and ease-of-use as smartphones. Beyond these general attributes, some tablets are increasingly suitable for traditional business tasks. Features such as split-screen multitasking and physical keyboard options are helping these tablets function as content-creation devices, expanding on their proven role as content-consumption devices. Workers in healthcare, educational and other relatively benign settings can often benefit from more rugged tablets. Such tablets may be designed, for example, to survive hard impacts, to protect against dust and water penetration and to run long hours without recharging. Industrial-use tablets must tackle wide-ranging demands Each individual business, educational or government user of a tablet has specific needs, of course, and those needs can vary as the same tablets are used for different tasks or in different locations and settings. Ideally, tablets designed for heavy-duty industrial use will address the broadest scope of use-cases and environmental challenges possible, while also keeping weight and price within reason. Among the key tablet pain points and requirements for industrial-grade users are: Resistance to environmental risks The tablet must survive drops and other shocks, water penetration and extreme temperature fluctuations. Battery life Tablets in the field often need to function for 10 hours or more on a single charge, and users should be able to replace the battery quickly and easily 4

5 Connectivity Tablets typically need to support communications over 3G/4G cellular and Wi-Fi networks, and may also need to offer Near Field Communications (NFC) Viewability Tablets used in the field must have bright and non-glare screens that users can read in direct sunlight Security As with any mobile device used for business purposes, ruggedized tablets need to support a range of data protection and resource-access technologies, including encryption, VPN communications and compatibility with mobile device management solutions. Software partner ecosystem Beyond the capabilities of the device itself, any industrial-grade tablet must be able to run a wide variety of software solutions to address the full range of use cases in which they may operate. The tablet has an IP67 rating for strong protection against dust and water penetration. Service and support Given the stresses they face, even ruggedized tablets can sometimes fail, and organizations need strong service plans, extended warranties and rapid-replacement programs to ensure a rapid and cost-effective return to full employee productivity. By extending enterprise-grade videoconferencing, along with its inherent quality and security policies, Samsung GALAXY Tab Active: between specialists and patients, hospitals can Designed for tough industrial demands protect patient privacy while tapping new resources to potentially save lives. As one of the world s leading tablet vendors, Samsung has had a front-row seat to watch the migration of its products into ever-more-challenging environments. The company set out to determine the current and anticipated tablet requirements of its customers in manufacturing, transportation and other industrial sectors in which tough tablets could play key roles. Through a variety of interactions with these customers including a series of Samsung-run workshops designed to explore their specific needs the company arrived at a set of specifications that industrial-grade tablets should embody. The resulting tablet, Samsung s GALAXY Tab Active, is the first tablet crafted specifically for the rugged, always-on business demands of some industrial users. The tablet s durable design and feature set delivers robust security and flexibility to enhance employee productivity in any working environment. Among the Samsung GALAXY Tab 4 Active s specs: Environmental hardness: The tablet can survive drops to a hard surface up to 1.2 meters with the protective cover on; it has an IP67 rating for strong protection against dust and water penetration; and it can function across a broad temperature range. 5

6 Viewability: The tablet uses an anti-reflex non-glare screen for visibility in direct sunlight Battery: The tablet offers an ultra-power-saving mode, a user detachable and replaceable battery, and also supports simple Pogo pin charging Connectivity: The tablet supports 3G/4G cellular, Wi-Fi and NFC networking for device pairing and tag reading. Samsung KNOX extends the physical hardness of the GALAXY Tab Active by providing data and device security hardness. Barcode scanning: The tablet includes a 3.1-megaixel auto-focus camera with a flash feature to support barcode scanning and other tasks. Design: Although built for tough environments, the reinforced tablet sports an attractive design, a non-slip exterior coating. The 9.75 mmthick tablet (0.38 inches) weighs just 393 grams (0.84 pounds). Security: The tablet features integrated Samsung KNOX technology for hardware and software security, including on-device containerization, identity access management and data encryption, and can leverage KNOX EMM, a cloud-based enterprise mobile management system. The last feature, Samsung KNOX, extends the physical hardness of the GALAXY Tab Active by providing data and device security hardness something that buyers focused primarily on purchasing ruggedized tablets can t afford to overlook. The Samsung tablet uses the Common Criteria (CC)-certified KNOX platform for mobile hardware and software security. KNOX Container lets employers set up a secure zone in the tablet for corporate applications and encrypted data, which are separated from applications and data outside of the container. Organizations deploying the Samsung GALAXY Tab Active can tap a variety of service offerings and options offered under the umbrella of the Samsung Mobile Care Pack. This program allows companies to mix and match a variety of warranty extension and servicing options across the entire portfolio of Samsung mobile devices, including the GALAXY Tab Active. Corporate and industrial customers, for example, can get three-years of extended coverage for their Samsung tablets. Mobile Care Pack customers can also take advantage of Advanced Exchange Services that provide replacement devices from a buffer stock to help employees stay productive rather than be idled while waiting for device repairs. They can also tap Remote Care Services that provide remote problem diagnosis and repair by Samsung service representatives, eliminating the need for customers 6

7 to go to a service center or wait for a services engineer to visit the site. To more fully address the needs of its tablet and other mobile-device customers Samsung established a partner initiative called the Samsung Enterprise Alliance Program (SEAP) ( The program is administered by a Samsung enterprise business team made up of sales, marketing and R&D specialists. SEAP members include ISVs, systems integrators, value-added resellers and distributors. Among the services that Samsung offers its SI partners is a KNOX Customization SDK. With the powerful configuration tools this software developers kit provides, SIs can create and deploy purpose-built industry solutions that take advantage of the Samsung GALAXY Tab 4 Active s ability to function in rugged environments. Conclusion As tablets continue to evolve into an indispensible tool for industry, business and government organizations, it s become clear that those enterprise roles demand specific requirements. Enterprise-grade tablets must have anti-shock protection; be water and dust proof; feature long battery life; Robust connectivity over 3G/4G cellular, Wi-Fi networks and Near Field Communications; be viewable under sunlight, and especially enhanced security features. For more information, go to Enterprise tablets will comprise 18 percent of tablet sales within three years, IDC predicts and that could prove to be a conservative estimate. With the introduction of tablets like the Samsung GALAXY Tab Active into that growing marketplace, workers in diverse industries can have all the benefits of a tablet power, portability and ease of use along with the ruggedized features demanded by industries like oil and gas exploration, transportation, construction, health care and even retail. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of TVs, smartphones, tablets, PCs, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. For more information To discover more, please visit To learn how the Samsung GALAXY Tab Active can help your organization, go to 7