It has been reported that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) has announced that it will be terminating its eight year long contract with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) and instead, supplying its department with Apple devices. Ouch!

The department will who has said that RIM “can no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency” will be replacing all BlackBerry devices with more than 17 600 iPhones for its employees including those from Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor.

RIM vice president of government solutions Paul Lucier said in an emailed statement that ”Of course, we are disappointed by this decision. We are working hard to make our new mobile computing platform, BlackBerry 10, meets the future needs of government customers.”

The Federal agency also reportedly analysed Google’s Android operating system and decided that based on Apple’s tight control of its OS and and hardware platform, it would be the best option.

Another primary reason for the switch is BalckBerry’s waning security and device-management features. Apple has now begun to address security as well, improving it with the acquisition of AuthenTec and its support of Cisco’s VPN.

This is yet another blow for the ailing smartphone manufacturer.

Source: Reuters