BlackBerry working with Google to secure 'Android for Work'

BlackBerry is working with Google to enable BES12 – a cross-platform EMM solution to manage devices equipped with Android for Work. The move builds on BlackBerry’s recent partnership with Samsung Electronics. Backed by BES12, Google’s Android for Work creates a secure, dedicated profile for business data and applications. The BES12 solution will integrate with Android OS to enable platform-level containerization. This will eliminate the need for application wrapping, while providing unhindered access to Google Now and any Android application available on Google Play that is permitted by an organisation’s IT policies. [caption id=“attachment_1989829” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] “BES12 will provide organisations with the most secure and flexible way to manage Android for Work,” the company said. Android for Work smartphones and tablets will be natively managed within the BES12 environment, which streamlines management of all device platforms and deployment models, such as BYOD and COBO, in a single command and control centre. Android for Work will be deployable with BES12 either on-premise or in the cloud, and will be supported by BlackBerry’s gold standard of mobile security, scalable architecture and trusted network infrastructure. “BlackBerry is working with Google to provide customers with solutions they can confidently deploy on all major mobile platforms within their organisation,” said Billy Ho, executive vice president, Enterprise Products and Value Added Solutions, BlackBerry. “Android for Work with BES12 will provide customers with another option to enhance their mobile security and the productivity of their employees, and the peace of mind that they will not have to relinquish any control over corporate data, sacrifice user experience or introduce more complexity into their environments.” In addition to announcing BES12 support for Android for Work, BlackBerry has expanded its cross-platform efforts with support for Android through value added services including BBM Meetings, BBM Protected, VPN Authentication by BlackBerry and WorkLife by BlackBerry. BES12 support for Android for Work will be available starting in the second quarter of 2015.