BlackBerry wins key security clearance from U.S. military

BlackBerry Ltd saidon Wednesdayits Android and iOS device-management service has won key security clearance from the U.S. Defense InformationSystems Agency (DISA).

The company said the DISA clearance will allow its customers in various U.S. Department of Defense agencies to begin to useits BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) 10 system to manage andsecure devices powered by Google Inc's Androidoperating system and Apple Inc's iOS software.

BlackBerry launched the service to manage rival devices onits BES system a year ago, as part of a move that would help thecompany sell high-margin services to its large clients even ifmany, or all, their workers use smartphones made by its competitors.

The new feature, dubbed Secure Work Space, is managedthrough BES 10, a new back-end system launched at the start of2013 that allows BlackBerry's clients to control mobile deviceson their internal networks.

The decision to service non-BlackBerry devices came as thecompany's devices had waned in popularity with consumers.