Google’s Android has recently been crowned as the world’s most popular operating system. It has become the first in the worldwide operating systems internet usage, outrunning Microsoft Windows in OS internet usage market share. According to various polls, Android’s combined usage across mobiles, tablet, laptop, and desktop reached 37.93 percent in 2018, while Windows lagged behind, scoring 37.91 percent. Although the difference between the two systems is truly small, the victory of Google’s Android still spectacularly marks the end of Microsoft’s hegemony enjoyed by it on the OS market since 1980s. The success of Android looks all the more impressive, when we recollect that only five years ago, it held meager 2.4 percent of global internet usage. Presently, young people spend approximately three hours a day playing on their Android, which amounts to staggering 80 hours a month. Thanks to Android applications, with their user-friendly interface and smooth functionality, its popularity is expected to grow in the near future. Such applications as Google Assistant, SwiftKey, Evernote, WPS Office and such best VPNs for Android as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are predicted to attract even more loyal users this year. Yet even as they express their enthusiasm about the increasing demand for Android, specialists also sound a note of warning: data preserved on Android can be stolen. Therefore, they urgently advise everyone who possesses Google Android to install security apps specifically designed for the protection of their information.
When we talk about security apps available in 2019, we do not only mean antivirus protection. The latest Android security applications include a number of other protecting tools ranging from contact filtering to removing lock. Take, for instance, Trend Micro. It is considered one of the best security applications, because its rate of malware detection is as high as 99.9 percent. It barely ever returns false positives and has no impact on your battery life or the performance of your smart phone. There are quite a few useful additional tools in Trend Micro, too. It has protection against phishing websites, a privacy scanner for Facebook, and tools that can help you save battery life and memory. Its “Just-a-Phone” feature eliminates all background processes that you do not need. Trend Micro’s premium features include but not limited to malware clearing and blocking, anti-theft devices, call filtering, and app locking. You can purchase Trend Micro for as little as $36 a year, but there is also its free version available for Android platform.
Another free security application for Android is called Avast Mobile Security. Its range of protection tools is broad: it offers antivirus protection and has a web shield that scans URLs for malware. It also scans all of your other applications and then gives you details on their conditions. Other tools of Avast Mobile Security include a call blocker, with which help you will be able to blacklist undesirable numbers, an application locker that allows you to protect private apps with a PIN, and Wi-Fi scanning options. Then, there are also app locking and anti-theft features available with Avast Mobile Security. With a rooted device, you can also receive a firewall allowing you to control network traffic. What Avast Mobile Security also permits you to do is to block access to Wi-Fi or the network for some applications. This might increase the security of your information and will save your battery life. Like Trend Micro, Avast Mobile Security app has a high rate of malware detection – 99.9 percent – and no returns of false positives. Like Trend Micro, this application also does not negatively influence the phone’s general performance or has an impact on buttery life.
AVG has equally high rating in malware detection that vacillates from 99.9 percent to 100 percent. It does not return false positives. Nor does it influence network traffic, battery life, or general performance. The depository of its features is wide. You receive a phone locator, app lock, call blocker, and photo vault where you can store private photos. AVG application also has the Camera Trap feature. It takes photos of anyone who attempts to unlock your phone, thus adding more security to it.
Equally high rates in malware detection has Sophos Mobile Security; its rate reaches 100 percent. This application offers good scanning that covers installation, storage media, and existing apps. Its other features include loss and theft protection, with support for wipe, lock, and alarm via SMS. Sophos Mobile Security also gives you password protection for apps, spam blocking, security advice, and web filtering. This application is free and has no advertisements. Its only drawback is that it sometimes returns false positives and warns you mistakenly about legitimate software. Yet its rich arsenal of protective features still outweighs its demerits.
In addition to installing security applications for your Android, you can use other methods to keep it safe. Most of them are common-sense. You need to refrain from using unknown sources, search for online reviews of applications you want to install, check updates before installing, and verify permissions. If you still decide that in new 2019, you want antivirus protection for your Android, you may choose one of the applications discussed above. Each of them will give you a good mixture of protection and useful features, and will detect malware in your Android with unerring precision.