Amazon now has a messaging app of its own. The tech giant’s AWS has acquired Wickr, the secure messaging app founded in 2012. The Signal-like encrypted messaging services were primarily used by the government agencies in the United States. Amazon, however, has not revealed the value of the deal.

“We’re excited to share that AWS has acquired Wickr, an innovative company that has developed the industry’s most secure, end-to-end encrypted, communication technology. With Wickr, customers and partners benefit from advanced security features not available with traditional communications services across messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, and collaboration. This gives security-conscious enterprises and government agencies the ability to implement important governance and security controls to help them meet their compliance requirements,” Amazon said in a blog post.

Wickr is primarily designed for government agencies, military, enterprise and individuals. The messaging app which was founded by Robert Statica, Kara Coppa, Christopher Howell, Nico Sell, York Sell in 2012, has apps based on different customer needs. The app lets users exchange end-to-end encrypted and content-expiring messages, including photos, videos, and file attachments. Wickr has several apps including Wickr Pro, Wickr RAM, and Wickr Enterprise, Wickr Me. WickrRAM was specifically designed keeping in the mind the military. It is believed that the app stays secure even in the harshest environment whereas the Wickr Enterprise was created for companies with larger workforces.

Wickr is so secure that it not only encrypts users data and conversations, it also strips metadata from all content transmitted through the network.

“With the move to hybrid work environments, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, enterprises and government agencies have a growing desire to protect their communications across many remote locations. Wickr’s secure communications solutions help enterprises and government organizations adapt to this change in their workforces and is a welcome addition to the growing set of collaboration and productivity services that AWS offers customers and partners,” the blog read.

Amazon also said in the blog that it will start offering Wickr services immediately and Wickr customers, channel, and business partners will not find any noticeable change in the app they can use the services like before.

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