Pentagon to Open Its Network to 100,000 iOS and Android Devices by 2014

The U.S. Defense Department says it plans to open its network to about 100,000 mobile phones and tablets from companies such as Apple and Google by February, 2014.

Bloomberg notes that move will pose a threat to BlackBerry who has been the Pentagon's largest supplier of smartphones. 

The Pentagon said it wants employees to have the flexibility to use commercial products on classified and unclassified networks. It plans to create a military mobile applications store and hire a contractor to build a system that may eventually handle as many as 8 million devices.

“This is not simply about embracing the newest technology –- it is about keeping the department’s workforce relevant in an era when information accessibility and cybersecurity play a critical role in mission success,” Teri Takai, the department’s chief information officer, said in a statement. 

Currently, the Pentagon has more than 600,000 mobile devices, including 470,000 BlackBerrys, 41,000 iOS devices and 8,700 Android devices.