Blackphone Confirms Privacy-Focused App Store And Device Sandboxes Incoming BlackPhone the post-Snowden pro-privacy Android smartphone joint venture between secure comms company Silent Circle and phone maker Geeksphone has confirmed it will be adding an app store to its � �PrivatOS in an update early � �next year.The major update will also roll out � �another new feature called   �Spaces . This will enable users to segment � �activity on their � �device by creating multiple � �secure spaces for particular apps accounts or data. The feature will be powered by Canadian company � �Graphite Software  �s OS-level virtualization software.Speaking to TechCrunch back in October Blackphone co-founder Jon Callas indicated an app store was incoming detailing a plan � �to expand its � �hardened Android OS to include a curated app store experience   � offering third party apps � �it � �has selected and vetted/reviewed for potential security concerns.The Blackphone device and startup business is an attempt to consumerize the hard problem of security and privacy within a familiar-looking Android � �wrapper and by bolting on multiple third party services to put � �secure alternatives for essentials such as � �cloud storage within easy reach (as well as bundling up the cost of their initial subscription in with the phone).But one major usability � �trade-off with Blackphone thus far has been � �the lack of a pre-loaded app store. Users can � �download and add stores to their device after � �purchase but that requires at least a degree of � �legwork. Adding its own privacy-focused store to the OS is therefore a natural next step   � given it will expand the utility of the device while apparently maintaining high standards of user � �privacy.However it s also � �a trade-off given that running third party software introduces more security risks. That s presumably why Blackphone is � �combining the launch of an app store with the addition of virtualized secure Spaces   � to offer another sandboxed layer to help safeguard data on the device.The latter feature � �is likely to � �appeal to corporate buyers especially since it enables companies to remotely configure � �and � �manage corporate Spaces on a Blackphone device and � �the user � �to have just the one � �device for work and person use securely separating out their � �personal apps and content from � �work apps and content. Much like BlackBerry s Balance feature in fact.Blackphone said today that its app � �store will arrive in January and will feature a selection of apps that it has chosen � �as   �the most secure privacy-optimized apps on the market  �.The update will also roll out a default   �Silent Space  � which � �will � �include its � �Silent Suite of apps for encrypted communication along with the � �app store plus   �a bundle of pre-loaded privacy apps  �. Users will then also be able to spec out additional Spaces on the device as they desire   � such as for instance a child-friendly bucket with access to a sub-set of apps.It will certainly be interesting to see how tightly Blackphone curates the apps in its own store. � �The number of apps on the store will doubtless intentionally remain � �far fewer than on major app stores such as Google Play. And may avoid including certain categories altogether such as games.Callas previously told TechCrunch the store could � �include � �different security review tiers for apps as a way for users to navigate the risks of running third party content. And that it � �may also include � �apps that some might � �consider insecure by design (such as social media apps which � �focus on sharing) or make it easier for users to download other app stores.  �We re going to do things like security reviews of apps. We re going to review their privacy policies. We re going to put a security and privacy seal of approval on them. But we also want to be able to have people go download their favorite game. � �Everyone s addicted to something   � Angry Birds Candy Crush Saga  � � �And we don t want to be having to security review games. So you go to one of these other stores to get the fun things and we cover � �the unfun things like email clients things like that which we have gone and done a review on  � he said at the time.