Just months before it launches a new device, Research In Motion (RIM) hit a new-low in its dipping popularity when the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has decided to replace BlackBerrys with Apple iPhones.
The Department of Homeland Security will spend more than $2 million to switch its 17,676 employees at ICE to iPhones concluding that the once-leading smartphones are now too far behind the times to meet its needs.
The devices provide critical, mission support services for ICE personnel and provide modern communication and personal computing services, the government document that said. The deal was made public on Sept. 28.
"The iOS services will be used by a variety of agency personnel, including, but not limited to, Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor employees," a statement on the Federal Business Opportunities said. "The iPhone services will allow these individuals to leverage reliable, mobile technology on a secure and manageable platform in furtherance of the agency's mission. ICE is intends on procuring the iOS-based devices/iPhone services for 17,676 users."
The agency relied on the RIM technology and the BlackBerry device for over eight years for the high-level of security they provided; however, it said the Canadian company "can no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency." ICE said it analyzed the major technologies such as Apple's iOS-based devices and Google Inc's Android operating system and decided to go for iPhones for Apple's tight controls of the hardware platform and operating system.
