Skip to main content

BlackBerry partners with Samsung for stronger Android security

When John Chen was installed as BlackBerry’s boss this time last year, the once mighty mobile maker was in a very bad way. For the company to have any chance of survival, the new CEO insisted it had to focus on several key areas, among them software and services.

With that strategy now at the forefront of its operation, BlackBerry has done a deal with Samsung that will help to deliver an end-to-end secure Android mobility solution by integrating its new BlackBerry Enterprise Server 12 mobile management system with Samsung’s business-focused Knox platform, which lets smartphone users safely operate a single mobile device for both personal and work use.

Recommended Videos

Related: BlackBerry Classic goes up for pre-order

The deal, announced Thursday at an enterprise event in San Francisco, may seem odd to some – after all, BlackBerry has long been lauded for its reliable and effective mobile security features, and now it’s inked an agreement with the maker of phones that helped bring the company to its knees. The move, however, appears to underline the fact that BlackBerry now accepts its position as a somewhat minor player when it comes to smartphone sales, and that doing deals involving stronger parts of its business is the best way forward.

While the arrangement should help BlackBerry collect some much needed revenue from firms that go with a Knox/BES 12 mobile system for their business, Samsung has the chance to improve its position in the enterprise market thanks to BlackBerry’s strong reputation for security.

“Samsung and BlackBerry share many customers across highly-regulated verticals, including government, financial services, healthcare and others, whose needs can be uniquely met with the combined Knox and BES 12 solution,” Samsung said in a release.

The offering from the two companies should be available early next year, and will come with support for a wide range of Galaxy smartphones and tablets, Samsung said.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The best iPhone and Android apps for Black History Month 2024
best iPhone and Android apps for Black History Month.

February is celebrated as Black History Month to honor Black Americans' remarkable achievements and contributions. The theme for this year is "African Americans and the Arts," which shines a light on the impact of African Americans in different artistic fields, such as cultural expression, visual and performing arts, fashion, literature, and more.

In this regard, we present a list of popular iOS and Android apps developed by Black-owned businesses and cover various topics such as finance, entertainment, wellness, and more. These apps run on all the latest smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro.
Calendly

Read more
Samsung just killed one of its most important Android phones
Galaxy Fold open.

Today marks a milestone in the era of foldable smartphones as Samsung officially puts its legendary first-generation Galaxy Fold out to pasture.

After four years on the market, the original Galaxy Fold will no longer receive regular security updates. To be fair, the first Fold was already living on borrowed time, as it was left out of last year’s Android 13 update. However, when Samsung launched the expensive foldable, it promised a full four years of security updates for the device.

Read more
Samsung just did something strange to its newest Android phone
The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE laying face-down on a table.

Earlier this month, Samsung announced a slew of new products to end 2023 on a high note. Alongside some new tablets and a pair of earbuds, one of those new products was the Galaxy S23 FE. It looks a lot like the other S23 phones released earlier this year, but it has some lower specs and a cheaper price. When Samsung announced the S23 FE on October 3, it said the phone would be available for $600.

However, it looks like something changed between then and now. The Galaxy S23 FE officially went on sale on October 26, but it doesn't cost the $600 Samsung claimed it would. If you buy the phone from Samsung's website, you'll have to pay $630 for the base model with 128GB of storage — a seemingly random increase of $30. Samsung didn't previously confirm how much the 256GB variant would cost, but it's currently listed on Samsung's site for $690.

Read more