Silent Circle launches Enterprise Privacy Platform for secure business use #MWC15

Today at Mobile World Congress, Silent Circle has announced the launch of the world’s first privacy platform for mobile users aimed at the business market. It’s a system of devices, services, and software based on ZRTP – a cryptographic mobile protocol, built for privacy. (The fact that using it might make you feel a little like Veronica Mars? Just an added bonus.)

At last year’s MWC, Silent Circle launched the Blackphone, which was later named one of Time Magazine’s best 25 inventions of 2014. This year, they’re announcing the Blackphone 2, an even more stealthy smartphone that’s highly secure and has more RAM, a faster processor, a better battery, and larger display. It’ll be available later this year, as will the Blackphone+, the first tablet that’s built for privacy. Both will run on PrivatOS 1.1, an Android-based operating system developed by Silent Circle.

That comes with Silent Suite, a core set of apps that allow private, encrypted communication. These include: Silent Phone, for private voice and video calls over a peer to-peer encrypted VoIP service; Silent Text, an unlimited encrypted texting service; Silent Contacts, an automatically-encrypting address book; and Silent Meeting, for secure visual conference calls. The devices also come with Silent Store, which has apps from other developers that have been vetted by Silent Circle.

Silent Circle co-founder and chairman of the board Mike Janke says that business security breaches often put customers and employees at risk, but don’t have to be inevitable. The company will be partnering with Citrix, Soti and Good as the platform is increasingly embraced by the business community.

It’s not yet available for personal use, but another of Silent Circle’s co-founders, Phil Zimmerman, says private citizens could theoretically use this tech, too: ‘Enterprise privacy is similar to individual privacy. The same technologies can protect both.’ Check out the website to find out more.

Diane Shipley