BlackBerrys were the first and remain the most popular smart phone for the business world. In December 2012 there were approximately 77 million BalckBerrys in use globally. BlackBerrys gained popularity because they allowed professionals to carry emails, calendars and contact information with them where ever they went.
BlackBerry remains a marketplace leader, with their attention to enterprise level data security, that other cellphones lack. BlackBerry offers device management and security features that allow secure connection to corporate networks. Blackberry mobile device management allows corporations to apply additional levels of security above that which is already on the phone. Bes security policy allows management to turn features on and off on devices. With a bes policy companies can set security permissions like password requirements for access.
BlackBerry 10 was released to the public in January 2013, runs on a QNX platform. QNX is considered more secure than any other mobile operating system. This means BlackBerrys will remain popular for companies who purchase phones for employees and for work places that have initiated BYOD policy. The Bring Your Own Device or BYOD is a growing business trend where employees provide their own mobile devices. A BYOD bes policy can require users to lock and password protect their mobile devices. Bes policy can also initiate remote locking and remote device wipes if a phone is lost or stolen.
Bes policy can disable or enable many phone features for all network users. Beyond requiring password log on, it can require passwords be alphanumeric and set an interval for how frequently they must be changed. Bes policy can also set the phone to automatically wipe if someone attempts to log on to the phone and miss guesses the password a certain number of times. Bes policy can also lockout features like app installation and photo or video capability.