White House testing smartphones other than Blackberry

The White House is conducting security tests for several smart phones, including those of Samsung and LG for internal use, threatening one of the last and most high-profile strongholds of BlackBerry Ltd.

So far Blackberry has been the only and the preferred smart phone of choice for the White House, including President Barack Obama.

The devices are being tested by the White House's internal technology team and White House Communications Agency, which is charge of Obama's communications, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The tests are in the early stages and any implementation of Samsung or LG phones is still ‘months away,’ the report said, adding there has been no indication that Obama is switching from his modified BlackBerry.

"We can confirm that the White House Communications Agency, consistent with the rest of the Department of Defense, is piloting and using a variety of mobile devices," a Defense Department spokesman was quoted as saying.

Though the Pentagon official declined to identify the devices in the pilot test or in use at the White House, the daily said the White House is testing smartphones from Samsung and LG Electronics.

While Samsung and LG declined to comment, Blackberry said its smartphone meet the highest security standards.

"For more than a decade, BlackBerry has been securing the US government's mobile communications and only BlackBerry is designed to meet the high-security needs of US and allied government agencies," a BlackBerry spokeswoman was quoted as saying.

Image: A model displays a smartphone; Photograph: Reuters

The image is used for representational purpose only