“U.S. Army Special Operations Command is dumping its Android tactical smartphone for an iPhone model,” Matthew Cox reports for DoD Buzz.
“The iPhone 6S will become the end-user device for the iPhone Tactical Assault Kit – special-operations-forces version Army’s Nett Warrior battlefield situational awareness tool, according to an Army source, who is not authorized to speak to the media. The iTAC will replace the Android Tactical Assault Kit,” Cox reports. “The iPhone is ‘faster; smoother. Android freezes up’ and has to be restarted too often, the source said.”
“The problem with the Android is particularly noticeable when viewing live feed from an unmanned aerial system such as Instant Eye, the source said,” Cox reports. “When trying to run a split screen showing the route and UAS feed, the Android smart phone will freeze up and fail to refresh properly and often have to be restarted, a process that wastes valuable minutes, the source said. ‘It’s seamless on the iPhone,’ according to the source. ‘The graphics are clear, unbelievable.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Why’d they ever deploy Android crap in the first place?
SEE ALSO:
U.S. NSA, U.S. Army buy thousands of Samsung devices – February 18, 2014
Now if certain legislators had their way, Apple would have to build a back door into iOS, which would make the Army’s phones vulnerable to hacking. Left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.
The army will fare much better with purely secure iOS/iPhone rather than Android, which is fundamentally insecure, even though built on open code. The issue is that Android as end-user product installed on smartphones is not actually open, it Google’s proprietary compiled and modified software that can have intentional vulnerabilities/backdoors simply by virtue of Google being in bed with the NSA, CIA, FBI, StateDep and even Pentagon itself — all of whom would want to have informationally leaky ecosystem.
Since Apple is well distanced from all of those agencies, the company has a chance to provide secure platform that will not easily spread state secrets to countless spying entities, only few of whom would eventually to the very state as the army we speak of.
Android phones are progressively getting better but I would agree on the change of heart. I would not always say the iPhone is faster but of course my iPhone is two plus years old now. Dependability wise you cannot touch the iPhone.
“Why’d they ever deploy Android crap in the first place?”
Because using very unsafe system they can sell government secrets to other countries (like china) and if some one finds outs, they just blame some hacker.
They could likely get ten Android devices for every one Apple device. I’m sure bidders like that cost savings.
And yet, as usual, the Apple devices are CHEAPER!
Bother to look beyond shelf price and examine SECURITY and ROI (Return On Investment) and TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and iOS devices win every time. That’s just the way Apple makes things, as usual.
AND of course, users can actually update their iOS devices to the latest version of iOS, including all security updates, for a number of YEARS after purchase.
Whereas, a lot of Android devices are sold:
a) Without the latest version of Android
b) Without any way to update to the latest version of Android.
IOW: Full of security holes out of the box and staying that way forever.
Maybe now they can figure out how to avoid bombing hospitals, though it’s not a biggie, they can acts against humanity when that happens, it’s becoming one of their specialties.
The iPhone Tactical Assault Kit sounds like an absolute blast. I’m sure they will arm it to the teeth for when they play Go Pokeman. They might even hit it, although they still seem to be using their “aim for Bin hit Saddam” guidance system, which of course it a total joke, a good thing for the free and civilized world.
Yes, the iPhone Tactical Assault Kit, defending a lack of morality with superior weaponry.
Editorial: “they can circumvent acts against humanity when that happens”
I thought they spent an endless amount of time testing all options. Didn’t they actually notice this? Sounds so reminiscent of the Windows debacle so many years ago with those friendly blue screens cropping up when a missile attack comes in. Blue screen of death certainly was appropriately named then as now, so maybe the concept was just familiar to them, when they went the Android route.
Almost everyone is under the impression Android OS is just as good iOS for one-tenth the price. Just as good usually means good enough. That’s Wall Street universal opinion of why Apple’s valuation has fallen. Better quality simply doesn’t count for anything.
And, of course, Android OS is the single most dangerous OS available today.
Now Army, convince the rest of the US government to get OFF the Android AND the Windows. Then maybe we won’t keep giving up our secrets to China every day of the week.
Buy cheap, buy twice
Almost all “good” android devices are made by ASEAN manufacturers (Samsung, LG, Hau Wei, HTC, Sony, Xaiomi, ASUS; and the US junk (HP) have exited the market. That might leave Motorola. (Who has a Motorola?)
So, I believe the only US manufacturer (even though 60% of their revenue is outside the US) that is left standing is Apple.
I am happy that a county’s military, any country, would decide to support their own.