Apple and Google yet to be awarded the same certification.
Research in Motion has won government security certification for its BlackBerry 10 operating system a few months before its debut.
Subsequently, RIM will have its upcoming smartphones allowed in secure government workplaces. The FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 certification authorizes U.S. and Canadian governments bodies and private firms to use BlackBerry 10 handsets as soon as they launch.
Once the long-delayed operating system does release during 2013's quarter one, the government has a guarantee that data stored on the devices is adequately secured and encrypted.
FIPS certification is issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It is required for mobile platforms should the U.S. government use them to send classified material.
Through the system, BlackBerry devices can be utilized in order to send and receive documents classified as 'restricted', but not information that are 'secret' or 'top secret'.
No other smartphone operating system, such as Google's Android and Apple's iOS, has received FIPS 140-2 certification yet. However, government agencies are planning to move to either or both of the platforms by ditching RIM's BlackBerry.
Or their OS is simply more secure.