Skip to main content

Most smartphone owners are indifferent about phone security

Smartphones
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Possibly due to kids under ten running rampant with iPhones, over eighty percent of smartphone owners have no security products installed on their mobile devices according to a new study conducted by NPD. In addition, 25 percent of all smartphone owners have no idea how to install software to make smartphones more secure. However, 83 percent of respondents in the survey claimed they would take action and install a piece of security software only if a threat like a virus or piece of malware infects the phone. In addition, 25 percent of owners without any security software installed on the phone are under the impression that the software is too expensive to purchase.

Smartphone-security-tipsOf the people within the survey that were using security software to protect their smartphone, 75 percent of that group paid nothing to acquire and install the software.  The average price paid from users that did spend money on security software was approximately three dollars. Between Android and iPhone owners, about 30 percent of Android owners installed security software on the smartphone, while only 6 percent of iPhone owners installed software to protect the Apple product.

The most common security concerns of smartphone owners included having credit card information stolen, unauthorized activity monitoring, hackers breaking into the smartphone and loss of the expensive device. Other concerns included viruses, harmful apps containing malware, malicious emails or text messages and unauthorized location tracking. According to the survey, iPhone owners were consistently less worried about these issues than Android owners.

Smartphone owners can usually take advantage of free or low cost applications that perform services like keeping passwords secure through encryption, scan networks for other potentially harmful devices, keep the phone safe from malware and even track down the phone through GPS in case of loss. Apple’s “Find My iPhone”, for instance, can help located a stolen iPhone immediately.

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
How to remove location data from your iPhone photos
How to transfer photos from an iPhone to an iPhone

We all love making memories, and a great way to collect those memories is to take a quick snap of a gorgeous landscape, a party in full swing, or a particularly incredible meal. The Apple iPhone now also adds a location to your pictures, meaning it can collate those images together into a location-themed album, or show you all the shots you've taken in a specific location. It's a fun little addition, and it's one that adds a lot of personality to the Photos app.

Read more
How to use ChatGPT on an iPhone and Android phone
Infinix Zero 30 5G Android phone in gold color with ChatGPT virtual assistant.

Seeing ChatGPT respond to some of the most otherworldly prompts is one of the most unique and entertaining experiences. In fact, it’s almost scary how good this OpenAI-founded chatbot can be at times. Launched in 2022, you can access free and paid versions of ChatGPT from a web browser, but the company also has an app for iOS and Android devices.

Read more
How to block a number on iPhones and Android phones
OnePlus 5 soft gold with the phone app open.

There are many reasons to want to block specific numbers on your phone. Whether it's nuisance spam callers, or a particularly persistent ex you no longer want to talk to, the humble Block option is a phone mainstay. It used to be you'd need to contact your carrier to stop a particular number from calling you, but thankfully, it's a lot easier to block numbers in this day and age.

Read more