Mobile Security: iOS, Android and Windows Phone

Featured article by Debbie Fletcher, Independent Technology Author

There is a lot of competition between Apple, Google and Microsoft, especially in the smartphone realm with iOS, Android and Windows phones. Security is becoming a frequently discussed issue on smartphones as they play a larger role in people’s lives. That being said, here are some of the pros and cons for each system:

Android

Android for Work allows you to create a work profile so you can use the same phone for both business and pleasure. This means your boss won’t be able to see any data from your personal apps because they create a special version of the Google Play store that manages the apps you can download to your phone. All of your business information and functions can be managed and cleared by your IT manager, which helps keep your work information safe. Furthermore, Android for Work is a secure platform for sending emails, sharing business documents and contact information and anything else you need to do for work.

While Android for Work provides security, it may be a good idea to have a dedicated antivirus and anti-malware app for your Android phone. Most of these provide enough extra security to give you peace of mind and offer extra features, such as being able to find your phone and clean your device of old files left by apps or corrupted files.

iOS

iTunes is essentially a gated community when it comes to the app store. No app goes up for users to download without being approved by Apple. While this cuts down on security risks, it still isn’t 100 percent secure. In the past, developers have made suspicious apps that had to be identified and taken down. Apple then suspended these developers’s accounts to keep their security.

Some other Apple security features include fingerprint security, data encryption, remote wipe capabilities and tools built into the system to give IT the ability to manage your corporate data.

And, as security concerns evolve and change, Apple releases frequent updates to iOS to keep your data safe and secure.

Windows

While Android phones need an antivirus to keep your data safe because of third party app developers, Windows phones have on-par security with iOS due to the fact that Microsoft approves all apps offered on Windows phones. All of these apps are encrypted, which helps prevent you from downloading malicious software by accident. Similar to Android for Work, Microsoft Exchange works well for businesses that are used to using Outlook. This program lets you share secure emails, documents, contacts and other sensitive materials. However, the best features of Microsoft Exchange is the advanced security placed upon all data being sent between devices.

Although Windows phones are secure, the Windows app store has a vastly smaller number of apps than either Google Play and iTunes due to the relative newness of the devices.

Overall, all three companies have worked hard to develop safe and secure phones. Although each system comes with built-in security features, as the consumer, you still need to be vigilant and smart about what you download and share to avoid any security problems.

Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of different magazines and news publications over the years.