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BlackBerry Key2 is the 'Most Secure Android Smartphone', Company Claims (betanews.com)

Posted by msmash on from the bold-claim dept.

The Key2 smartphone, which BlackBerry unveiled earlier this week, is the "most secure Android smartphone," the Canadian company claims. Brian Fagioli, writing for BetaNews: While BlackBerry no longer makes smartphones, it does license its name to a company called TCL which makes Android devices that carry the branding -- and sometimes, a physical keyboard. It isn't just slapping the BlackBerry name on a random low-quality Android phone, however. Actually, these TCL devices have been fairly well received thanks to an adherence to traditional BlackBerry designs. Today, TCL unveils its latest such smartphone, called "KEY2," and it looks quite nice. In fact, the company says it is "the most secure Android smartphone."

12 of 53 comments (clear)

  1. Careful of boasts by UnknowingFool · · Score: 2

    Blackberry: "We have the most secure Android smartphone."
    Hackers: "Challenge accepted"

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  2. Actually, the claim rings true by williamyf · · Score: 4, Informative

    First, TCL+Blackberry=Blackberry mobile.

    Blackberry mobile is one of the few android makers (if not the only one) which assigns a crytpo key *in hardware* to each device to protect it from tampering in the field. They do not use a Vanilla linux kernel, instead opting for a Hardened linux.

    Running Snoopsnitch reveals a very, very green field, meaning that all the patches are "really" applied. And not like some other android phones, which report a patch level, but in reality do not apply the fixes...

    It also has an app called DTEK, which lets you see in depth what your apps are up to.

    More info in this old but still relevant article:

    https://www.engadget.com/2015/...

    Of course, if you do not want a PKB, then you are equaly (or more) secure, and have a longer SW support with an iPhone.

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  3. BlackBerry by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe it is the most secure, but no one will ever know.

  4. It needs a physical switch to disable cams & m by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Call me when its app security allows disabling network access when I am not manually running the app
    Call me when app permissions has option to provide fake location, contacts, storage, etc so apps will still run but not have access to real data

  5. Sure sure... by XSportSeeker · · Score: 3, Informative

    People have very short term memory, it's like this never happebed at all ever:
    https://www.theverge.com/2016/...

    1. Re:Sure sure... by demon+driver · · Score: 2

      Right.

      And then there was the expensive BlackBerry PRIV which they advertised with the same claim – and which was not only denied the upgrade to Android 7 everybody had reason to expect, no, they also stopped delivering security updates not long after you still could buy a new one.

    2. Re:Sure sure... by demon+driver · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You just don't get it. Marketing a smartphone as the most SECURE Android phone in the world is verging on fraud if SECURITY updates stop a few weeks after they sell it to you. What I did read, and what they wrote in their update policy for that matter, is completely irrelevant in that aspect.

    3. Re:Sure sure... by doconnor · · Score: 2

      I got a security update for my (Bell Canada) PRIV a week or two ago.

  6. Re:The most secure Android smartphone by rtkluttz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Both are equally insecure. When the owner of the device isn't the one in control of the security landscape then the OS itself is malware.

    --
    Digital is, by definition, imperfect. Analog is the way to go.
  7. Re: Why won't you die already?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    We finally have a modern smartphone with usable apps that doesn't waste half the device on a useless physical keyboard with tiny-ass keys made for a marmoset.

    Some of us like physical keyboards you insensitive clod!

  8. Re:I mean thatâ(TM)s great and all by AmiMoJo · · Score: 2

    Not really, no.

    Basic Android is pretty secure these days, with FDE enabled by default. But there is also a market for extra security on top, such as Copperhead OS and Samsung Knox.

    Having another competitor in the market is a good thing.

    --
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    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  9. Isn't this the same Blackberry by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    Who's CEO argued phones having backdoors was a good thing? No thanks, you're the last group of people I want anywhere near my data.

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