BlackBerry updates BES12 with Samsung Knox and Android for Work support.
The Canadian phone maker this week announced a partnership with Google to “set new standards in enterprise mobile security for organizations deploying Android devices.” As part of the partnership, the companies will integrate BlackBerry’s BES12 security software with Google’s Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile operating system and Google Play for Work. The news comes as Taiwan’s DigiTimes reported that BlackBerry might release not one but several new Android-based handsets in the second half of 2015. BES 12.2 further expands BlackBerry’s multi-operating system capabilities by integrating Samsung Knox Workspace and Android for Work with BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus. Many current Android and iOS users got their start on a BlackBerry device way back when – although when you start counting the years, it is not really that long ago.
Sources in Taiwan’s handset supply chain told DigiTimes that the new BlackBerry smartphones will run the Android OS, but “also integrate some software functions of BlackBerry OS and application services such as BES12, BBM, and BlackBerry Blend.” Reuters last month said BlackBerry is looking to add Android to an upcoming handset, likely a slider phone that will arrive in the fall—perhaps the one BlackBerry teased at this year’s MWC. This means that users of the Galaxy S6 and S5 Edge, for example, can access enterprise networks without the need for virtual private network infrastructure. Oh, how the once-mighty company and the pride of Canada have fallen on hard times, due to the mismanagement by Co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. When BES12 launched in November, BlackBerry also announced a “strategic partnership” with Samsung to support devices running Samsung’s Knox mobile security technology for Android phones.
In 2010, BlackBerry had a 43-percent share of the US Market that is now down to 1.5-percent, all because they were unwilling to change to meet the competition head on. Recently BlackBerry is back in the news with rumors of a new BlackBerry Android phone – there are leaked images of at least two models, with the first being a BlackBerry Passport running Android and the second touchscreen model called Venice (seen in the above picture.) Both a BlackBerry Venice and another model, called Dallas, were spotted on the import/export site Zauba going into India for testing. BlackBerry said this week that BES12 now supports Apple DEP, which simplifies the enrollment of corporate-issued iOS devices. “IT administrators can more quickly, easily and securely manage large deployments of iPhones and iPads by enabling supervised controls over the air,” BlackBerry said.
Another sure sign that BlackBerry and Google are ‘making friends’ is the recent announcement that they will partner to make the Android devices used in business or enterprise more secure. Blackberry’s mantra has always been that its phones are built for work, for security, for mashing out a few more words-per-minute with that hardware keyboard. BES 12 supports Android Lollipop, allowing you to confidently deploy Android devices in your organization.” We must surely take these rumors with a grain of salt, but it will be interesting to see just what BlackBerry decides to do – BlackBerry always made a solid device and if they couple Android within its walls they may have a real hit on their hands.
In a recent poll, we asked the question – “Would You Buy An Android Powered BlackBerry Venice?” and the results were astonishing and show that we still have an affection for the BlackBerry name. 14-percent said “No,” 22-percent said “Maybe,” and a whopping 64-percent said “YES!” There may be something to be said for a BlackBerry-Android relationship. Right now, when there’s still a) a small but vocal populace that wants hardware keyboards, and b) an increasingly agitated populace that wants small phones. With so many companies relying on new business tools like Slack or even up to date ways of accessing their Outlook email, your smartphone needs to have those apps. That really isn’t up for debate, and even with the Amazon App Store and BB World Voltron-ing onto Blackberry’s existing smartphones, that app selection still falls short. I mean, come on, when was the last time an Android phone from a major technology company included anything as cool as the Blackberry Passport’s keyboard—the one that doubled as a mouse?
They could use some nasty clone of Android (like Amazon’s Fire Phone), atrociously skin the thing, or fill it up with carrier bloat (if the phone even comes to many carriers at all).