Rumors have been swirling about an Android-powered BlackBerry, and a new business deal has phone enthusiasts again chattering about a possible tie-up.
The Canadian phone maker this week announced a partnership with Google to "set new standards in enterprise mobile security for organizations deploying Android devices." As part of the partnership, the companies will integrate BlackBerry's BES12 security software with Google's Android 5.0 Lollipop mobile operating system and Google Play for Work.
"BES12 supports Android Lollipop, allowing you to confidently deploy Android devices in your organization," the companies said.
The news comes as Taiwan's DigiTimes reported that BlackBerry might release not one but several new Android-based handsets in the second half of 2015. Sources in Taiwan's handset supply chain told DigiTimes that the new BlackBerry smartphones will run the Android OS, but "also integrate some software functions of BlackBerry OS and application services such as BES12, BBM, and BlackBerry Blend."
DigiTimes has a spotty track record with tech rumors, but this is not the first we're hearing about such a device.
Reuters last month said BlackBerry is looking to add Android to an upcoming handset, likely a slider phone that will arrive in the fall—perhaps the one BlackBerry teased at this year's MWC.
When BES12 launched in November, BlackBerry also announced a "strategic partnership" with Samsung to support devices running Samsung's Knox mobile security technology for Android phones. See more in the video below.
BES12 is not limited to Android, though. BlackBerry said this week that BES12 now supports Apple DEP, which simplifies the enrollment of corporate-issued iOS devices. "IT administrators can more quickly, easily and securely manage large deployments of iPhones and iPads by enabling supervised controls over the air," BlackBerry said.