This article was published on May 15, 2013

Verizon and VMware team up to help Android users separate their work and personal data


Verizon and VMware team up to help Android users separate their work and personal data

Verizon has teamed up with privacy and business virtualization firm VMware to offer its Horizon Mobile virtual workspace solution on the LG Optimus Vu – known as the LG Intuition in the United States – and the Motorola RAZR M.

The concept is similar to BlackBerry Balance, a technology designed to separate and protect data stored for work and personal use on a single smartphone. LG said today that the new software built into the Optimus Vu “essentially divides the smartphone’s operating system in half”, creating a safe space for corporate-controlled business applications and information.

The LG Optimus Vu, which offers a rather square 5-inch HD-IPS display (768×1024 resolution) and a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon processor, will be reintroduced with the new software -despite being overshadowed by its successor, the Optimus Vu 2.

The LG Intuition was designed to go up against the Samsung Galaxy Note and Note II when it launched in the United States in September last year, but failed to gain any sort of meaningful traction with consumers. The device was met with some mixed reviews, but Samsung’s colossal marketing spend was no doubt a contributing factor.

The Motorola RAZR M, meanwhile, is an LTE-enabled Android smartphone with a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display and a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon processor. It’s not a bad device by any means, but neither is it one of Verizon’s most sough-after handsets. Precisely why these average smartphones were chosen over any other devices offered by Verizon is unclear.

Regardless, data protection is becoming an increasingly important element of any smartphone or tablet. As more businesses adopt the ‘bring-your-own-device’ policy in the office, consumers are having to address the best way to separate this data on a daily basis.

The addition of VMware Horizon Mobile lets users run a second operating system on both the Motorola RAZR M and the LG Intuition, keeping both work and personal applications isolated. It’s a better option than the current range of app container-based solutions, according to LG.

“LG and VMware are addressing the challenges IT departments face every day due to BYOD and the consumerization of IT,” said Boaz Chalamish, senior vice president and general manager of end-user computing at VMware.

“Creating a separate virtual workspace on a mobile device enables IT to provide security and control, while also reducing the burden and liability of managing the entire device. This approach strikes the best balance between addressing IT security needs and end-user freedom.”

Verizon says support for additional devices will be made available as the year progresses.

Image Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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