When compared to iPhone (iOS), Android phones are much cheaper but have high risk-factor (malware/spyware/virus). However, exploring the other end of Android world, Aerospace giant Boeing is developing a super-secure Android phone for the U.S. Department of Defense.

As reported by National Defense Magazine, a Web site that is focused on business and technology trend in defense sector, Boeing President Roger Krone revealed that the aerospace and defense giant is about to jump into mobile phone business.

Boeing has an advantage selecting Android OS in its upcoming smartphone that they do not have to build a new OS from scratch. Earlier, Amazon had also picked up source code of Gingerbread version of Android OS from Google's Web site and had build down a customized OS based on it, which the company now features in its Kindle Fire tablet. We will come across the same concept on Boeing's super-secure smartphone too. Though these types of phones are generally price between $15,000-20,000 with flawless security features, yet, using Android OS will cut down development costs.

Boeing spokespersons didn't provided much details about the phone. But it looks like that the phone is already in development phase. Most of phones with similar technology go in five figure price range. But, the company is working on a relatively cheaper device with same security feature making it ideal for U.S. Department of Defense. So, this super-security smartphone is not the one that you can pick up from your local wireless stores.

"We believe that there is significant interest in the defense side as well as the intelligence side and in the commercial world as well. We are going to drive down towards a lower price point, but ... not mass-market price point," said Brian Palma, the vice-president of Boeing's infrastructure group.

Also at the moment, we do not know that whether it will support Android Market (or Google Play Store) and allow installing apps like Angry Birds and Skype on the device or whether it will use its custom store and get a custom skin. But with Pamla quoting "intelligence side," it becomes clear that it will have some sort of app installation feature.

(reported by Johnny Wills, edited by Surojit Chatterjee)