Blackphone tweak makes app updates less annoying for the security-conscious

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 13 Oct 2014

The clestine Blackphone finally has its own dedicated app updater, eliminating the need to restart the device every time new software from Blackphone or its app partners arrives.

And that’s not the only new feature in the Blackphone’s ivatOS 1.0.5 update, which also adds a custom build of the K-9 email client, a panorama camera mode, call audio improvements, along with numerous smaller improvements bug fixes.

The company posted the full release notes on it site. If you have a Blackphone, an over-the-air update should hit your device soon.

The story behind the story: The Blackphone runs a forked, privacy-focused version of Android called ivatOS, which is built for better control visibility of data coming to from the phone. It doesn’t even have access to the ay Store, so you have to sideload apps yourself.

Because the OS is built specifically for this device, many of its features are rather rudimentary compared to run-of-the-mill Android devices—such as its inability to elegantly hle updates (until now). But if you get the Blackphone it’s not because you want to post selfies to Instagram—the device is designed for privacy security enthusiasts zealous about keeping firm control over their data. 

One of its core apps is the Blackphone Security Center, which lets you view control what information is going into out of your phone. Contacts, messaging, phone calls connect to the encrypted Silent Circle service.

The company that builds the Blackphone is even located in Switzerl, which it says has better privacy laws than other western nations.