With the increasing adoption of technology in everyday life, the number of mobile apps is on the rise. More and more businesses now have business apps to keep in touch with their customers 24×7. According to Statista, 3.5 million apps in the Play Store and 2.2 million apps in the App Store were registered in the second quarter of 2022.
As technology advances, cyber attacks become more sophisticated. Today, mobile phones are widely used for electronic transactions that require bank authorizations. This is a major reason for cybercriminals to target Apple products and Android devices. Hence the security of operating systems becomes a major concern.
To keep the threats at bay, it is important to choose a reliable mobile operating system. That means it’s time for android vs ios.
While both operating systems are targeted for malware attacks, the question remains: ios vs. android – which operating system is more secure?
iOS vs. Android: The alarming levels
Android and iOS have both been targeted by cybercrimes. Common threats include malware attacks, fraud, data leaks, hacking and hacking. For users, security remains the main concern, hence it is important for users to understand which operating system is more secure Mobile application development.
iOS – How secure is it?
Apple never releases the source code for developers and owners/users of iPhones, iPods, etc., cannot modify the code themselves. This makes it difficult for hackers to penetrate privacy and break into Apple devices.
The latest vulnerability that appeared in the update included 11 major threats to iPhone security.
The flaw allowed hackers to access code execution and was fixed by the release of iOS 15.7. This issue was tracked when CVE-2022-32917 was widely used Cyber attacks on Apple devices as reported by Apple.
Experts consider iOS security better than Android because Apple releases frequent updates for various Apple devices. Timely updating of the software keeps it protected from cyber crimes.
iOS security strength
So far, iOS 16 is the most stable and secure update released for better iPhone security. Available for iPhone 8 and up, this update secures the photo gallery, Face ID safety, disable data access for third-party apps, lock mode and lateral unlock. These features secure the user’s data from leakage.
Other factors championing Apple’s security supremacy are Apple’s secure, closed-source App Store and iOS security updates available for the latest iPhones.
iOS weakness
Of all the iOS updates, the worst update ever released by Apple was iOS 11. It was the biggest update that crashed iPhones shortly after it was introduced. Being destructive, this release will be succeeded by iOS 12 which fixed many vulnerabilities that made iPhones stable.
Because iOS’s user base is relatively small, compared to Android phones, it tends to get less feedback. With less feedback from users, vulnerabilities can go unnoticed.
However, Apple has always been security oriented for its users, hence it has not come across any serious weaknesses that could be a threat to users. Now, let’s go ahead and find out how powerful the Android operating system is.
Android Security: Is It Strong Enough?
The Android operating system market, compared to iOS, holds a large share of the shares. around 70% of the market share is controlled by the Android operating system, while iOS has only 28% of market share. With more users, the Android operating system has a higher risk of security issues.
The latest vulnerabilities were observed in Android versions 10, 11, 12 and 12L. Just like hacking iOS vulnerabilities, as previously discussed, hackers can get to the executable code and hack easily.
Google has released security patches to resolve the issue. These security patches keep users’ data safe and confidential. Now, it’s time to know more about Android security and vulnerabilities to make informed decisions.
Android security strength
Android apps often fall victim to cybercrimes and hacking, but they often recover thanks to the open source code that allows the code to be modified to make the app stronger, third-party security support to increase the app’s security shield, and huge user feedback due to the operating system’s market share .
Most devices today are equipped with features such as biometric authentication and facial recognition. These features are compatible with various third-party apps that keep the device safe
However, there are disadvantages to the advantages. Many experts have criticized the Android operating system for being open source. Being open source makes it easy for developers to access and fix the code and hackers too.
Android weakness
The Android operating system has weaknesses such as lack of sufficient updates. With a paltry amount of 2-3 yearly updates, the operating system becomes prone to many attacks.
Second, the Android operating system is open source, which means any developer can access the code to fix a bug. It gets ugly here because if the source code becomes accessible, hackers can hack the software for ransom.
Regardless of choosing different security methods, the open source nature of Android makes it weaker than iOS.
Before we jump to the conclusion, let’s compare all the updates so far that have been classified as the most vulnerable and the most secure. This will help streamline the approach to deciding which operating system wins the battle.
iOS vs. Android: Who Beats Whom?
Since this is a battle of the best between iOS and Android, it becomes essential to compare the updates for both the operating systems. Read on to understand the best and worst updates for Android and iOS.
iOS 5 – The most secure iOS security update
iOS 5, launched in 2011, was among the earliest updates released by Apple. This update fixed three vulnerabilities by tightening the security of Apple devices.
Fixed vulnerabilities – 3
Android 12 – the most secure security update for Android
Google released Android 12 in 2021 to fix the requesting permissions. With this update, Android users can adjust permissions for apps where access to media files, gallery, camera, etc. is not needed.
Repaired vulnerabilities – 18
Android 10 – the most problematic Android security update
Android 10 is buggy. Installing Android 10 often led to software crashes, slow performance and freezing of various mobile apps. Several security patches have been released to resolve the issue.
Vulnerable points have been identified – up to 800
iOS 11 – the least secure security update for the iPhone
Despite being security oriented, Apple’s OS 11 is considered the worst update. An update and its installation led to various problems on the iPhone that were claimed to be serious by Apple.
Vulnerability detected – over 200
And the winner is…
Without a doubt, iOS wins the battle in this quick comparison of operating systems. In the analysis, you read about the pros and cons of Android and iOS. Considering all the statistics and data, iOS emerged as the winner.
But how and why is iOS more secure than Android? there you are.
iOS has emerged as the winner due to releasing regular updates for its devices. It provides all the latest updates to its devices to curb the chance of the software becoming degraded, less scalable and inefficient in performance.
This is the main reason for people who are inclined towards iPhones. In the second quarter of 2022, Apple claimed a 15.6% share of the global market. $40.67 billion was generated from the sale of the Titan smartphone in the third quarter of 2022.
Even Android releases updates to users but it depends only on certain devices. Not all Android devices are compatible with the latest update. Security patches on Android operating systems are an exception and devices may continue to receive updates.
