Boeing Black: The New Smartphone that Self Destructs

By Prarthito

| Published: Thursday, February 27, 2014, 11:46 [IST]

If you have been intrigued by the recently announced Blackphone, at this year's MWC event, which puts all security options in the users's hands, then you will be interested by the recently announced Boeing Black smartphone. The specialty of this smartphone is that is has the ability to self-destruct.

With a concept straight out of a James Bond movie, Boeing Co unveiled the new device on Wednesday. The device not only has the ability to encrypt calls, but any attempt to open or meddle with the casing of the Boeing Black smartphone will delete any data on the device and will render it inoperable.

This new tamper-proof device from Boeing is aimed at government agencies and contractors who are needed to keep communication and data secure, according to Boeing and filings with the US federal communications commission.

"Such a phone might have prevented damage to Washington's diplomacy in Ukraine from a leaked telephone call. A senior U.S. State Department officer and the ambassador to Ukraine apparently used unencrypted cellphones for a call about political developments in Ukraine that became public," a report from Reuters on the same states.

Made in the U.S., the new Boeing-made phone is operated via Google's Android operating system. The 5.2-by-2.7-inch handset, a bit larger than an iPhone in comparison, also supports dual SIM capabilities to enable it to make use of multiple cell networks instead of a single network like a normal cellphone.

And since the device has been developed with so many security features in mind, Boeing is currently releasing very few details about the wireless network operators or manufacturer it is working with. Also, the company has not announced a price or a probable date by which the phone might experience wide circulation. However, the company says that it has already begun offering the phone to potential customers.

Apart from that, the phone can be customized to connect with biometric sensors or satellites. Other attachments can extend battery life or use solar power. The device can operate on the WCDMA, GSM and LTE frequency bands and offers WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.