Silent Circle has just announced the sequel to its security-focused Blackphone.
The Blackphone 2 has been officially unveiled, and will retail for £525.
The device runs on Google’s Android operating system, although it features a number of software tweaks that help boost your privacy.
It’s all courtesy of Silent Circle’s Silent OS, designed to keep your data intact.
At the heart of the Silent OS is a unique Security Centre, which lets you manage your privacy and security settings.
Through this feature users can control individual app permissions, the data that apps can access, plus a remote-wipe setting if you lose your phone.
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Conner continues: “Blackphone 2 combines an enhanced operating system with a suite of apps designed to keep your enterprise and personal information separate and private. We’re proud to deliver a safe and sexy device with a seamless user experience.”
Blackphone 2 also features a “Spaces” function, which lets users have separate, secure areas of the phone for different data types.
For instance, you could have a “work” space, in which you keep business-related information, applications and files.
The device also comes pre-loaded with Silent Phone, a private communication app built by Silent Circle.
It offers secure, encrypted voicecalls, conference calling, video-conferencing, and secure text and file transfers.
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“Today our privacy is increasingly threatened by governments, business and individuals,” explains Conner. “In addition, the growing number of companies where employees work on their own devices in and out of the office means that it is ever more vital to build smartphones that deliver on privacy.”
He adds: “People and enterprises want to take back control of their privacy, but too often they don’t know how – or they feel they must compromise too much. That’s why the time is right for Blackphone 2.”
The device features an octa-core Qualcomm chip, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage (plus a microSD slot).
It also boasts a sized-up 5.5in Gorilla Glass display, as well as a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera.
Check out our smartphone buyer’s video guide below:
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.