Sprint Guardian takes on mobile security for the whole family
A new bundle of security and safety apps joins Sprint Zone for up to five of your family's phones.
NEW ORLEANS--Sprint cares about the safety of your smartphone, which is why they teamed up with security companies like Safely and Lookout to offer safety and security app bundles.
The new initiative is called Sprint Guardian. The new section within the Sprint Zone app will launch with two bundles of tools -- Family Safety, which is powered by Safely, and Mobile Security, powered by Lookout.
The Family Safety bundle includes Sprint Family Locator, Sprint Mobile Controls (think parental controls), and Sprint Drive First which targets texting while driving. It'll cost $9.99 per month for coverage on up to five devices, and has a free 15-day trial.
"One of the most under appreciated markets in mobile is family," said Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO of Safely parent company Location Labs.
The second, Mobile Security, is essentially a repackaged Lookout, an antivirus program that also safeguards mobile browsing privacy, backs up your device, and can help locate your phone. This app will cost $4.99 per month or 49.99 per year, also for up to five phones.
Although you could in theory download the apps on your own from the app store, Sprint's endorsement does two things. First, it brings security front and center for the 82 percent of users that Sprint says don't know which apps to use to protect their phones and families.
Second, the app bundle and pricing are exclusive to Sprint in the bundle. Otherwise, you would have to piece the tools together from Google Play.
Sprint created a mobile security council last October at Sprint's developer conference, and Sprint Guardian is its first product.
We got a hands-on demo here at CTIA 2012. Sprint Guardian does indeed look slick and easy to navigate, but it might be harder to find within the Sprint Zone app. The service goes online in June.
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