[oneinfiniteloop]

The latest rumor that is making the rounds is that the Slider is going to have Android layered on top of BlackBerry's secure boot loader (?) - if this turns out to be true, then is it likely that BlackBerry could provide this secure boot loader to others (like: Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Lenovo, etc.) to help secure their existing and future Mobile devices - BlackBerry receives royalty per unit sold! This could also open up other very interesting possibilities/opportunities for BlackBerry! Heck, BlackBerry may provide this security layer to Apple as well! The security layer could bundle Guardian as well - which will provide continued stream of recurring revenue!

Also, is it possible that BlackBerry played this from the position of strength when negotiating access to Google App Store? Highly secure Android gives Google an in road into major Enterprises and opens up services opportunities for Google as well...

May be this is just a wacky thought, but if I was John Chen, I would certainly think well beyond securing BlackBerry devices...

Posted via CB10

[jaydee5799]

interesting thought. then they'd have their niche market

[Bluenoser63]

It needs to be more secure than just a boot loader. Once booted, the phone can still be rooted and Google will still have data mining capabilities.

[Soulstream]

It needs to be more secure than just a boot loader. Once booted, the phone can still be rooted and Google will still have data mining capabilities.

Google's data mining is not a security issue, it is a privacy one. Privacy and security are a little bit different.

If someone (other than Google) could intercept all this data, decrypt it and use it, then it would be a security concern.

[paulwallace1234]

Security and Android don't work together, similar to IOS in that matter, they packed so much into it all together it's a security nightmare

[asherN]

Android is already in the Enterprise. All MDM solutions can block rooted devices. That is secure enough for 99.99% of users.

[Supa_Fly1]

Google already has about 2yrs of an inroads I to enterprise/government. There are about 12. US States using Android products in main public facing offices along with GMAIL paid services to host their email management.

Posted via CB10

[Bluenoser63]

Google's data mining is not a security issue, it is a privacy one. Privacy and security are a little bit different.

If someone (other than Google) could intercept all this data, decrypt it and use it, then it would be a security concern.

If you think that your emails are encrypted using Google mail and they cannot read it, you are in for a surprise. Don't send any information in emails that you want to be secure using Google mail.

[Soulstream]

If you think that your emails are encrypted using Google mail and they cannot read it, you are in for a surprise. Don't send any information in emails that you want to be secure using Google mail.

again, that is a privacy issue, not security.

Also, if they WANT most email providers(microsoft, yahoo etc) can access email accounts directly.

[Bluenoser63]

again, that is a privacy issue, not security.

Also, if they WANT most email providers(microsoft, yahoo etc) can access email accounts directly.

Nope. Depends on what is in the email.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

The latest rumor that is making the rounds is that the Slider is going to have Android layered on top of BlackBerry's secure boot loader (?) - if this turns out to be true, then is it likely that BlackBerry could provide this secure boot loader to others (like: Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Lenovo, etc.) to help secure their existing and future Mobile devices - BlackBerry receives royalty per unit sold! This could also open up other very interesting possibilities/opportunities for BlackBerry! Heck, BlackBerry may provide this security layer to Apple as well! The security layer could bundle Guardian as well - which will provide continued stream of recurring revenue!

Also, is it possible that BlackBerry played this from the position of strength when negotiating access to Google App Store? Highly secure Android gives Google an in road into major Enterprises and opens up services opportunities for Google as well...

May be this is just a wacky thought, but if I was John Chen, I would certainly think well beyond securing BlackBerry devices...

Posted via CB10

WAKE UP!

You fell asleep at your computer again and were typing out your dreams....

No, BlackBerry hasn't invented some magical "boot rom" or Hypervisor or whatever that will boot the device and make the OS on top of it secure. That would only be the first level of securing a device, and I REALLY doubt that either Google or Apple are going to let BlackBerry monkey about their devices to that degree.

I think the real goal here is to make BES Containers that can provide users of both Android and iOS with the security. I think if BlackBerry stays in the hardware business.... a future device will be running plain old Android with a BlackBerry Experience "skin" (UI only - no security), and will have a BlackBerry Experience App (possible some security on it own, or requires BES for a full security container).

[BCITMike]

Can't do anything for current devices, sans a time machine.

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[oneinfiniteloop]

Thanks for waking me up ;-)

The primary assumption I am basing this on is based on a simple strategy that BlackBerry is pursuing - to go cross platform with everything thing they build... Knowing John, I don't think he is going to spend a single penny on things that don't have a cross platform nature to it - given that most current mobile devices use Qualcomm chips (and, Samsung is surely interested in securing its Eqinox chip) - it should be relatively easy for BlackBerry to provide a layer that sits right above it and create a secure platform for anyone to build on. From what is being rumored, it appears that Google seems to be interested in this effort - from Google's perspective, it takes away a stigma which has been a sore point for them.

Building security ground up would be lot more beneficial than focusing on providing it through BES container - BlackBerry could then package Guardian to help do active application scan for Viruses, etc.

My personal take is that, BlackBerry will continue to use Container based approach for Android versions prior to Lollipop - for Lollipop and higher, it could provide security layer from the ground up; in addition, it is very likely that BlackBerry could also integrate Guardian into Google's App Store.

Again, this is the line of thinking I would pursue if I was John Chen ;-)

Posted via CB10

[oneinfiniteloop]

Earlier versions of Android may place constraints on what they could achieve - in a way, it allows device manufacturers (like: Samsung, Lenovo,etc.) to push Enterprises to do a device upgrade knowing that versions Lollipop and above provide security that is built from ground up....

Posted via CB10

[oneinfiniteloop]

As I mentioned on my other post, I don't think John Chen will spend a single penny on device or software that is not targeted to meet their cross platform goal... The strategy is simple, pervasive and powerful - I believe even Microsoft is waking up to that realization!

Posted via CB10

[Prem WatsApp]

As I mentioned on my other post, I don't think John Chen will spend a single penny on device or software that is not targeted to meet their cross platform goal... The strategy is simple, pervasive and powerful - I believe even Microsoft is waking up to that realization!

Posted via CB10

It's all to ch-own them... :-)

That's the ultimate goal!

�   Chendroid for more sales...   �

[oneinfiniteloop]

It's all to ch-own them... :-)

That's the ultimate goal!

�   Chendroid for more sales...   �

Exactly! simple and powerful... albeit, as a shareholder, it is a bloody nasty nose bleed until they get all this neatly stacked up (looks like it is going to take another 2 years for this ship to gather steam) - the solid underpinning to all this cross platform initiative is the portfolio of common denominator (QNX, Patent Portfolio, and Security) - that provides uniform coverage across hardware (phone, antennas, sensors), Technologies, Network, Business and Industries ...

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[Tre Lawrence]

Also, is it possible that BlackBerry played this from the position of strength when negotiating access to Google App Store?

No. I don't think BlackBerry really has any leverage.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Thanks for waking me up ;-)

The primary assumption I am basing this on is based on a simple strategy that BlackBerry is pursuing - to go cross platform with everything thing they build... Knowing John, I don't think he is going to spend a single penny on things that don't have a cross platform nature to it - given that most current mobile devices use Qualcomm chips (and, Samsung is surely interested in securing its Eqinox chip) - it should be relatively easy for BlackBerry to provide a layer that sits right above it and create a secure platform for anyone to build on. From what is being rumored, it appears that Google seems to be interested in this effort - from Google's perspective, it takes away a stigma which has been a sore point for them.

Building security ground up would be lot more beneficial than focusing on providing it through BES container - BlackBerry could then package Guardian to help do active application scan for Viruses, etc.

My personal take is that, BlackBerry will continue to use Container based approach for Android versions prior to Lollipop - for Lollipop and higher, it could provide security layer from the ground up; in addition, it is very likely that BlackBerry could also integrate Guardian into Google's App Store.

Again, this is the line of thinking I would pursue if I was John Chen ;-)

Posted via CB10

Sorry didn't know that you and JOHN were buddies....

Containers yes... I think that is what BlackBerry has been working with Google and Samsung on. As that is exactly what they said their partnerships were about. nothing else.

Layer between the OS and the Hardware... NO that isn't something that Google is going to want - as they would be giving up control and having to admit they OS isn't good enough on it own.. IF they want a extra layer of protection, they could afford to build it them selves... it's not like software is really BlackBerry specialty. Do I think BlackBerry would want to do this... of course. Just don't see Google allowing it, or even wanting it. And that is just one layer of security... one that a properly configured device really doesn't need.