Remember all that hoopla about certain government agencies switching to the iPhone and even Android? Well, the amount of those devices amounted to barely 5%. You can consider it a media smear campaign, essentially. Nonetheless, according to the Washington Post, the U.S. Government has no plans to ditch BlackBerry devices.
Why’s that? Due to RIM’s continued focus on security. An iOS or Android device can be hacked in a matter of minutes. No BlackBerry smartphone has been hacked to date. The BlackBerry PlayBook is the only RIM product to have ever been rooted. It isn’t too far from imagination that RIM will do all they can to close up the security holes.
âWe appreciate RIMâs focus on security, which is paramount for government use,â said Casey Coleman, the chief information officer at the General Services Administration. The agency has issued some iPhones and Android-based phones for staffers, but the vast majority of its 12,000 agency-issued smartphones are BlackBerrys.
RIM’s pricing for BlackBerrys are also noted as another reason for continued support. That is, most BlackBerry devices are cheaper than iOS or some Android devices. However, the U.S. Government hasn’t fully ruled out iOS or Android, as they continue to improve on their security. Hopefully, RIM will keep doing what they do best with security and up the ante.
source for U.S. Gov Not Fully Ditching BlackBerry Anytime Soon â" Cites RIMâs Focus on SecuritySuper Torch For Blackberry