Spanish smartphone maker Geeksphone and US-based secure communications provider Silent Circle have announced a new smartphone, dubbed the Blackphone, which promises its users genuine privacy and security. The companies have set up a Switzerland-based joint venture to develop the handset, which will be launched next month. The Android-based smartphone will be sold unlocked, free of geographical restrictions, and compatible with any operator. The handset will run on a security-focused version of Android called PrivatOS, which promises users the ability to make and receive secure phone calls and text messages, transfer and store files securely and browse the web privately through a VPN, services based on Silent Circle’s existing portfolio of secure communications products.
According to Silent Circle co-founder Phil Zimmerman, who created the PGP data encryption software, the Blackphone will “provide users with everything they need to ensure privacy and control of their communications, along with all the other high-end smartphone features they have come to expect.” Pre-orders of the smartphone will begin on 24 February to coincide with its unveiling at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
