BlackBerry teams up with Google to secure Android devices allowing Google's suite of mobile productivity tools to run on BlackBerry's management system.
In a move that builds on BlackBerry's recent collaboration with Samsung Electronics Co., BlackBerry announced on Wednesday, Feb. 25 that it is working with the search engine giant Google to enable its software to manage and secure some of Google Android's devices.
According to ZeeNews, BlackBerry announced partnership with the Korean smartphone maker Samsung and other high-profile technology industry players with an intention to broaden the reach of its resurrected mobile-device management and security platform.
According to ABC News, the technology marks the search engine giant's attempt to turn Android phones into the digital hub of people's personal and professional lives. The expansion puts Google Inc. against tech giants' Microsoft and BlackBerry, as both the companies have been concentrating on the corporate market for a very long time, ABC News noted.
Basically, "Android for Work" allows users to separate work and personal application on their smartphones, letting a company's information-technology department safe and manage only work related content.
LiveMint noted that BlackBerry Ltd's stock jumped after it announced a partnership with Google. In a statement, BlackBerry said, the agreement allows businesses as well as governments running BlackBerry BES12 software fuse Android for Work, which Google unveiled on Thursday.
Soon after BlackBerry made the announcement, BlackBerry stock went up as much as 4.7 percent to C$13.41 at 2:32 pm, New York Time. According to LiveMint, Google advanced as 1.9 percent to $546.22.
BlackBerry said it is offering "highly secure mobility solution" for Samsung's Android devices. In the wake of more and more businesses allowing employees to use their own phones for work, the Canadian telecommunication company BlackBerry is trying to increase its ability to manage devices and tools from multiple technology providers.
Kevin Stadtler, president of Stadtler Capital Management Llc., said that the partnership implies that BlackBerry's reputation for security is still strong.
Stadler, who owns BlackBerry stock, said by phone, "One shortcoming of the Android platform is security. They're partnering with BlackBerry in order to directly address that."
SAP SE, Samsung and SOTI Inc. Bloomberg are other companies Google has partnered for "Android for Work."
