iPhone vs Android security: New study reveals shocking scam vulnerability

New Delhi:

If you believe your personal data is automatically safe after purchasing an iPhone worth Rs 1 lakh, you might be mistaken. This isn't our assessment, but the conclusion of a new, large-scale study. The research claims that iPhones are significantly more vulnerable to fraudulent and spam messages than Android phones.

Specifically, Android users are 58 per cent less likely to be targeted by spam messages compared to iPhone users, meaning Android owners receive far fewer phishing or fraudulent texts.

Survey reveals high spam volume for iPhone users

Google and YouGov conducted a survey across several countries, including India. A total of 5,000 smartphone users from India and Brazil participated.

• A surprising number of Android users who were surveyed claimed they received no scam text messages at all.
• In contrast, iPhone users received up to 58 per cent more fraudulent messages.

According to participants, iPhones face a greater overall risk of cyberattacks than Android devices. iPhone users who participated reported receiving a significant volume of spam and fake link text messages, which they cite as a major source of online fraud.

Security systems and the risk discrepancy

The study attributes this major difference to the default security and message filtering systems of the two platforms, iOS and Android.

• Data suggests that iPhone users received up to 96 per cent more scam text messages than Android users.
• Conversely, Android users received up to 96 per cent fewer spam texts than their iPhone counterparts.

Furthermore, a separate survey conducted by the Leviathan Security Group tested scam and fraud safety across several premium phones, including the iPhone 17, Google Pixel 10, Motorola Razr+, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Their findings indicate that the Google Pixel 10 Pro, which launched this year, offers the strongest default scam and fraud protection.

AI as the ultimate defense

Google noted that AI-induced frauds have seen a significant increase, causing losses of over $400 billion worldwide annually.

To combat this, AI is heavily utilised in Android phones to prevent widespread scams. This AI-based system is highly effective, blocking over 10 billion spam calls and messages every month.

Based on the study, the Google Pixel 10 series is currently considered the most secure smartphone, primarily because the integrated AI features effectively shield users from cyberattacks.

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