Can Galaxy S8 add a base to help Samsung challenge Windows?

[Abstract] Rumor has it that Samsung plans to develop a PC base product DeX for the Galaxy S8. One important reason is that Samsung hopes to sell more smartphones to corporate customers who are accustomed to using PCs.

Tencent Digital (Wen Xin) According to the Android Authority website, in the past few years, many people have been trying to use smart phones to complete more tasks. Some people even think that mobile phones should be able to run more like laptops or desktops. There have been solutions on the market that have enabled smartphones to operate like PCs, but without exception, they have not obtained a large number of users. Samsung hopes to reverse this situation with the Samsung Desktop Experience ("DeX").

The latest rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S8 phone claim that Samsung will try to turn a new generation of flagship phones into PCs. These rumors came from leaked Samsung internal documents and the British "Guardian" report, saying that Samsung will release a base and "service" called DeX, allowing users to use the Galaxy S8 like a desktop computer, with a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard. Connect to the base. In fact, the recently disclosed Samsung trademark application materials show that Samsung wants to apply for the “Samsung DeX” trademark.

Although it is still too early to assess what Samsung may be developing, because we have not yet seen the actual "DeX", there have been similar products in the market. Based on the products that have appeared, we can predict what Samsung needs to do to make this "portable PC" solution a success.

Invoke your phone as a PC

Several years ago, Motorola released a number of notebook docks for several Android smartphones. They essentially belong to the notebook case, with a display screen and a full keyboard. When the phone is mounted on the base, the user can go through a larger The display screen surfs the web or completes other tasks.

Although most reviewers seem to like the experience, Motorola initially put the laptop bases at a price that was too high. At a price comparable to these bases, users could buy full-featured Windows laptops. Although Motorola eventually lowered their prices to a reasonable level, "damage" to these bases has already been caused.

After that, from time to time, third-party solutions similar to Motorola's laptop docks for Android phones will appear on the market. A recent example is the Superbook, which can be connected to an Android phone via a USB cable, allowing users to use the phone as if they were using a Windows laptop or a Chromebook. The price is only $99 (approximately RMB 679).

However, after raising sufficient funds through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter in 2016, the Superbook encountered manufacturing problems and the time for launch was therefore delayed from February 2017 to June.

A few years ago, Asustek released the PadFone series, which enabled a smaller Android phone to seamlessly connect to a larger flat panel display. Although the PadFone is not exactly the same as the Laddock solution, it offers a more compact base design. Regrettably, the sluggish sales have prompted Asustek not to release the new version of its PadFone product line for several years.

There are also vendors trying to introduce new operating systems that can seamlessly run on mobile phones and PC devices, including Ubuntu OS based on Linux. However, Ubuntu OS is an impossible product in the mobile phone industry.

There are also Android-derived versions on the market that can run on PCs, such as Android-x86 and Jide's RemixOS, which have multiple windows, taskbars, and file managers that are similar to Windows devices. Although Android-x86 and RemixOS are quite interesting concepts, only technology enthusiasts know about them and their status is unlikely to change significantly.

Recently Microsoft released Windows 10 Mobile, which includes Continuum mode. If a phone supports this feature, it can be connected to a PC monitor, keyboard, and mouse through the dock - similar to the rumored Samsung Galaxy S8-DeX combo. HP even released its own Windows 10 Mobile Elite X3 and an optional Lap Dock base - similar to Motorola Lapdock.

Android Authority said that this combination is very suitable for business users of mobile phones, because these customers are accustomed to using Windows PCs at work. However, the lack of user interest in Windows 10 Mobile may make this operating system and its Continuum model an interesting niche product. In fact, Microsoft is gradually stopping its own Windows 10 Mobile mobile phone sales, so it is unlikely to become a popular product.

The advantages and disadvantages of DeX

The fact is that Windows is still the dominant player in the PC market, especially among business and corporate customers. Samsung is very willing to sell Galaxy series mobile phones to these customers. Helping them use mobile phones at work is a way to enhance the attractiveness of Galaxy S8.

It is very attractive on the surface to carry the “PC” at work while keeping the device’s advantages in the smartphone. Users do not have to worry about using virtual desktops and other functions when leaving home. They just need to carry their mobile phone and cradle. Users simply connect the DeX base to the monitor, mouse, and keyboard: Now users can take their office with them.

However, to make such equipment well-suited to meet customer needs, Samsung must solve several challenges. One is that Android itself is not a desktop operating system. In order for the Galaxy S8 to quickly transition from a smart phone to a working PC when connected to the cradle, Samsung must make major changes to the user interface in many applications. However, given that Android applications can run on Chromebooks, Android itself will support input via mouse and keyboard.

Another challenge is security. In all fairness, Android is not the most secure operating system. Therefore, it needs to be a "part-time" working PC. Many companies will require a more secure operating system. Samsung may cooperate with another company such as Blackberry to provide DeX-Galaxy S8 with security solutions that meet the needs of corporate customers. In fact, the two companies reached a cooperation agreement in 2014 to provide Samsung's Knox security platform to BlackBerry customers, so the basis for cooperation between the two companies is already in place.

Even facing such challenges, a major reason prompted Samsung to try to provide PC-like features for the Galaxy S8. It found a golden opportunity to sell more mobile phones to customers other than ordinary consumers. Corporate clients have the money to be able to make this dream come true: Samsung phones are used not only at home or when away from home, but also when working in the office.

The Galaxy S8-DeX combination may be just the first step in this future. Samsung may want to understand user feedback, then improve the product and launch a better solution for future Galaxy devices. The attractiveness of selling more mobile phones to corporate customers is hard to ignore, especially in the context of slowing mobile phone sales worldwide.

The next step in the development of smart phones?

What needs to be stated first is that Samsung has not confirmed these plans. Another possibility is that DeX parts may be under development and Samsung decided to postpone its release until the release of the Galaxy S8. There are currently rumors that the Galaxy S8 is scheduled to be available at the end of April 2017 (announced on March 29th). In other words, there are still variables in all this.

However, if the rumors about DeX are true, this will become one of the major steps in the development of mobile computing in the future, and will threaten the dominance of Microsoft and Windows in the PC industry. Although this seems to be a bold speculation, it can be known from the threat of smartphones to traditional compact cameras and the popularity of Chromebooks that this is by no means impossible.

Android Authority said that Samsung's body is enough to pose a threat to Microsoft. Although the Galaxy Note7 has recently encountered explosives, the Galaxy brand is still well-known in the world. As long as Samsung can find an effective way to transform the Galaxy S8 into a portable desktop or laptop at a low cost, many consumers and even businesses will choose Android smartphones to bypass the next Windows. Advances in mobile technology will certainly help Samsung achieve its goals: In terms of processing power and memory, modern flagship models can rival the notebook.

If Samsung launches DeX, Google’s attitude is an interesting issue. There are rumors that Google is developing Andromeda projects that extend Android functionality to compete with Windows. If Samsung rushes to launch such solutions ahead, its relationship with Google will become even more tense. Samsung's drastic changes to Android have caused tension between the two companies.

Source: Android Authority

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