Boeing Black, A Self Destructing Smartphone

New York : A company best-known for developing a healthy share of the aircraft civilians use to jet around the globe, and military pilots use to blaze toward their objectives, is now developing an Android-based smartphone that will self-destruct if a third party attempts to break in and extract its secrets. 

The aeronautics company previously confirmed it was in the midst of designing a secure Android phone in 2012, Boeing only recently listed its device development plans on the Federal Communications Commission website.

The phone, codenamed “Black,” comes with all the features that savvy consumers are demanding as well, such as support for all the wireless spectrums used globally (GSM, LTE, and WCDMA), plus some wireless technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The Boeing Black Smartphone is based on Google Inc's Android operating system and built into a black, tamper-proof handset capable of accessing multiple cell networks instead of a single network like a normal cellphone, according to Boeing and filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

Due to the phone's security features, Boeing is releasing few details about the wireless network operators or manufacturer it is working with, and has not provided a price or date by which the phone might be widely available, but said it has begun offering the phone to potential customers.

Boeing's website says the phone can be configured to connect with biometric sensors or satellites. Other attachments can extend battery life or use solar power.

From the FCC filing:

Considered together, the physical, technical, and legal measures that Boeing has undertaken to ensure the confidentiality and security of the internal components, functions and descriptions of the Boeing Black phone justify treatment of the Block Diagram, Schematics, Internal Photos, Parts List/Tune Up Information, and the Purchase Agreement as permanently confidential under Sections 0.457(d) and 0.459 of the Commission’s rules. Permanent confidential treatment is further justified for these exhibits because any disclosure of the identified exhibits would facilitate efforts to defeat Boeing’s these hardware security measures, which would be counter to the underlying purpose of the product.

Not much else is known about the Boeing Black just yet, but the corporation plans on unveiling further details soon.