14 DAY TRIAL // Android is installed on millions of devices around the world and while the platform is extremely popular it’s not the most secure.
Knowing this, Google has taken some measures and has increased security levels with the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop update by introducing the automatic device encryption feature.
But as far as the enterprise market is concerned, Google had to bring in the big guns.
Even as its business continues to be on uncertain ground, BlackBerry still holds the title of safest mobile platform. At some point in time, the company’s CEO even claimed the iCloud Photo hack would have never happened on the BlackBerry network.
Anyway, following BlackBerry’s partnership with Samsung, which was fashioned to bring a “highly secure mobility solution” for Samsung devices, the Canadian company plans to further expand its grasp towards the whole Android ecosystem
Google and BlackBerry team up to make working on Android safer
Now, the company has announced it will partner up with Google itself to directly manage Android devices with Android for Work on them via BES12.
Google just introduced Android for Work, a service which will allow enterprise users to bring their smartphones and tablets in their work environment.
Android for Work revolves around four important key aspects. First off, the service includes the so-called “work profiles” which enable built-in encryption, enhanced SELinux security enforcement and multi-user support in Android 5.0 Lollipop.
This basically translates into the fact that the user will be able to set up a secure working profile, which will be managed by the employer. This work profile will be utterly separate from their personal profile that the employer can’t access.
All of this is topped by the fact that the user can easily switch between work and personal accounts.
On top of announcing BES12 support for Android for Work, BlackBerry also revealed it is making available BBM Meetings, BBM Protected, VPN Authentication by BlackBerry and WorkLife by BlackBerry for Android.
BES12 support for Android Work will be available for an invite-only preview starting March, but the release for the general public is scheduled somewhere in the second quarter of 2015.
After the announcement, BlackBerry shares rose 4.3% to $10.71 / €9 on the Nasdaq.
