Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhones apparently don’t meet the new standards set by German lawmakers. Both parties have decided that they need to use encrypted phones, according to the German newspaper Bild (via The Local).
Apple’s phone not seen as secure enough
The reason the iPhone will be out of the question is because iOS doesn’t support the encryption software which has been developed by the federal information security office in Germany. German lawmakers have decided that from now on, all of the nation’s official business will require encrypted communication.
As a result, lawmakers will no longer be allowed to use Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhone for official calls, emails or text messages. All phones used by lawmakers in Germany to discuss official matters will have to be approved by the Bonn federal office for information security.
BlackBerry, however, might be secure enough
The decision came after it was revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies were spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel through her phone. She had been using an old slider-type phone made by Nokia, but she has since switched to one of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s handsets. The article in The Local does not state whether Merkel’s BlackBerry has already been approved by German technology officials.
However, the struggling Canadian company has been known for its security and encryption, and it could certainly use a win, however small, like this one. The German government purchased thousands of BlackBerry Z10 handsets back in March.
Apple’s iPhone used by U.S. DoD
It’s worth noting that some U.S. agencies have approved Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhones for official use. In May, it was revealed that some U.S. experts were concerned about security on iOS and Samsung devices. The iPhone was approved for use by the Department of Defense just days after those concerns were raised. Of course Germany’s problem with Apple’s handset deals with the Germany-made encryption software, which may be a separate issue.
This year the iPhone 5S added an additional layer of security: the TouchID fingerprint scanner. However, many users have said it doesn’t work most of the time.
