Pentagon Expects to Enlist Apple, Samsung Devices

Samsung and Apple are bringing the smartphone wars to the Pentagon. The U.S. Department of Defense expects in coming weeks to grant two separate security approvals for Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, along with iPhones and iPads running Apple's latest operating system—moves that would boost the number of U.S. government agencies allowed to use those devices.

Both companies have been pushing hard to win over U.S. defense agencies, some of the government's most security-conscious customers. That market is small and still largely dominated by Research In Motion’s BlackBerrys, so the new security approvals won't likely translate into any immediate, big sales or new customers. Still, the approvals are among a handful considered to be the gold standard in communications security. Passing muster at the Pentagon can go a long way in making other security-minded customers—such as bankers and lawyers—feel more comfortable using the devices.