With power comes responsibility and U.S. President Donald Trump is taking on a huge one. As he gears up to take over the role of POTUS, Trump has had to trade in his Android smartphone for a new encrypted handset that is more secure.
According to reports, Trump has had to trade the handset owing to security concerns.
"He has traded in his Android phone for a secure, encrypted device approved by the Secret Service with a new number that few people possess," reported the New York Times.
The publication cites a close aide of Trump and speculations are rife that he has handed in his Galaxy smartphone in favor of a more secure handset.
Trump is following in the footsteps of his predecessor Barack Obama who had to part with his BlackBerry smartphone and get a new one that was customized to his requirements. What prompted this move was concerns pertaining to cyber intrusions, specifically state-sponsored attacks.
Obama apparently used an iPhone for the purpose of receiving and sending emails to a handful of people, as well as reading news and surfing websites. However, he used a different phone to tweet.
Security Concerns
Any sort of security intrusion is a concerning and delicate situation especially when it comes to the U.S. president and the ever-vigilant Secret Service would be more cautious and look to close any loopholes that may compromise security.
National security could also be in jeopardy with any such intrusion. Therefore, it is imperative that the president is given all the required security for him to continue with his term and fulfill his responsibilities.
An iPhone 7 For Trump?
Even though not much information has been released about Trump's new handset, rumors hint at the secured device being an iPhone 7 that has been customized to meet his needs.
Experts consider iOS to be a much more secure platform compared to Android. Aside from providing encryption, Apple smartphones are reasonably tough to crack as was evidenced by the San Bernardino attacks, where the FBI had to enlist the help of third-party companies to get iPhone data.
Unlike his predecessor, the 45th POTUS does not email much but uses his smartphone to tweet. Trump is expected to continue this trend and update the Twitterati. He reportedly only makes phone calls late at night or early in the morning and is even known to leave voicemails.
Whether Trump will be carrying two phones - one for his personal use and the other for tweeting - is unclear. With the recent Russia-led hacks, it is important that the security team provides him with a secure and encrypted device.
Photo: Gage Skidmore | Flickr
