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Google's Android for Work adds Blackphone, all four major US carriers

Google's Android for Work adds Blackphone, all four major US carriers

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Google's mission to make Android the preferred choice for companies everywhere is picking up some fresh momentum today. Today the company announced that its Android for Work program is expanding to include a total of 40 partners. New device manufacturers have signed on, but the bigger news is probably that all four major US carriers have also entered the fold. "AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Rogers, Bell Canada, Telus Mobility and KT are now offering broad support for Android for Work, so people can soon turn to their mobile operators to take advantage of Android for Work’s integrated security, management and productivity solutions," Google wrote in a blog post. "With its choice, flexibility and security, we believe Android is uniquely equipped to help businesses tap the full power of mobility."

Android for Work was formally launched in February with a focus on enterprise-level security and the freedom of letting employees use their personal devices for work tasks. Work profiles (built into Android 5.0) separate your everyday apps and games from software deployed by an employer. Whitelisted apps can be installed from Google Play, and companies have full control over deleting them or pushing new ones to Android for Work profiles.

Blackphone Galaxy 1020

Google points to Samsung devices like the Galaxy S6 as some of the most secure hardware out there, and it's also highlighting the Blackphone as a good option for those who prioritize privacy above all else. Silent Circle, that phone's manufacturer, is also joining Google's effort and has announced that the Blackphone 2, due this fall, will mark its official introduction to Android for Work. It'll feature a large, higher-res display than the first model (5.5 inches), 3GB of RAM, and a 13-megapixel camera. As Google and Apple race for control of the enterprise smartphone market, Google claims that Android for Work is currently under testing, in deployment, or actively being used by 10,000 businesses.