BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1 launches: iOS and Android supported

News 17:07, 14 May 2013

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1 now supports all mobile platforms, including iOS and Android

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1 has just launched at BlackBerry Live 2013 in Orlando, Florida.

The new BES software is the simplest method of controlling your mobile devices. And if you update with BlackBerry 10 you get the BES licenses for free.

BES 10.1 supports both Android and iOS as well and for the time being BlackBerry is offering BES 10.1 as a free upgrade.

‘Everybody tells us that security is important. The amount of data that can be accessed via a smartphone is incredible. That’s why privacy and security are at the core of BlackBerry 10 – it’s got security baked in from the ground up,” said Kristian Tear, BlackBerry COO. ‘BES 10.1 is a seamless industry-leading solution,’ he added.

For those of you that have more than one device, you no longer need two, or three, handsets for your work and home life. BlackBerry Balance, says Tear, lets you split the phone in two so you can separate your professional and personal life.

Editor’s note: I have two devices, but that's because applications like Spotify and Google Drive are not yet available on BlackBerry 10.

Tears has confirmed that the US Department of Defense is 100 percent committed to BlackBerry and the BlackBerry 10 platform.

Kevin Mcconnell, Chief Mobility Officer, IBM explained that IBM currently has 500 users on its BlackBerry 10 pilot program but the business intelligence tech giant will be expanding that group to around 2000 in the coming months.

‘IBM’s test group loved the separation of personal and work life with BlackBerry Balance, and having the ability to download, edit and re-upload files on handset,’ he said.

BlackBerry has 650 carrier partners around the globe. In 2013, however, it will face stiff competition from Samsung, Apple, and Google.