Silent Circle’s Blackphone 2 smartphone is now officially available in the United States, offering one of the most secure Android phones out there.
Blackphone was first introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2014, introducing an Android-based Blackphone 2 is easily the world’s most secure and private smartphone.
Co-founder and Silent Circle chairman Mike Janke said that it aims to protect private citizens from hacking, vacuuming, and chipping away their privacy. It is designed by Phil Zimmerman (inventor of PGP encryption), ex-Apple encryption wonk Jon Callas, and former Navy SEAL Mike Janke, Yahoo reported.
Blackphone 2 smartphone is run by Silent OS, an updated version of the company's Android-based PrivatOS. It is powered by an 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocked at 1.7GHz, and the graphics work with Adreno 405. The device has 3GB of LPDDR3 RAM, paired with 32GB eMMC inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card. It also supports Indian 4G LTE bands.
The security-focused smartphone has 5.5-inch full-HD IPS display, with 1080x1920 pixels screen resolution, and protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It features 13MP autofocus rear camera with BSI sensor and dual LED flash, along with a 5MP fixed focus front-camera. The 3060mAh Li-po battery is non-replaceable, but supported by Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0. it measures 7.9 x 76.4 x 152.4mm and weighs 165 grams. The handset is available only in black variant.
The Silent OS let the users make and receive secure calls, as well as sending encrypted text messages. Users can also store files securely, and surf the web via an anonymous VPN, according to NDTV Gadgets. The users are allowed to create four discrete “spaces” on the phone, complete with its own apps, settings, data, and passwords.
Silent Circle also assures that they will update the patches for any kind of vulnerability within 72 hours of its discovery. It is worth noting that Blackphone 2 does not support wireless charging.
Unlocked Blackphone 2 sells at $799 and only available in North America. However, it will arrive in the United Kingdom and other regions very soon.