DOD said on verge of authorizing Androids, iPhones

Research in Motion’s BlackBerry will have more competition in the government arena as the Defense Department – via the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) – prepares to authorize the use of Android and iPhone software militarywide, reports the Air Force Times.

Although much of the military is already using a variety of smart phones, the process of approving them for use on DOD’s Global Information Grid has been prolonged due to worries about classified data, the article explains. In addition, employing a specific smart phone may require lowering the classification of some data so it is accessible, according to Scott Fish, the Army’s chief scientist.

After the authorization is given, a final decision to use a particular mobile device will be up to each service’s CIO, William Keely, director of DISA’s field security operations activity, told the publication.