Silent Circle has launched its latest Android phone. Not surprisingly from a company founded by Phil Zimmerman, the creator of PGP encryption, this device has privacy at its core.
The phone, named the Blackphone 2, boasts advanced permissions management amongst its high end security features. Silent Circle say "Blackphone is the world’s first smartphone built from the ground up to be private by design".
Voice, text, and video chat is encrypted via the firm’s private cloud VPN, although secure calling and texting becomes a paid feature after a year, costing $25 a month. There were previously fears that the SilentText feature could be manipulated.
The device is suitable for enterprise users, offering support for applications from major firms such as Citrix and Good.
While reviewers say the hardware on this second iteration is improved, the enhanced security still does not come cheap. The Blackphone 2 costs $799. It is currently available in America, and will be coming to the UK soon.
