Half of Android users might switch to iPhone for better privacy and security, survey says

The war between iOS and Android will continue for as long as the two platforms exist. Some users prefer the simplicity and consistency of Apple’s closed ecosystem. Others want to have more control over their devices, which is what Android offers as open source software. There are benefits and drawbacks to both platforms, but a recent survey shows that many Android users are considering switching to iPhone over privacy and security concerns.

Android vs. iPhone privacy and security

Beyond Identity surveyed 1,003 Americans last month about their mobile security habits and sentiment. Of the respondents, 505 used Android phones. According to Beyond Identity, 49% of Android users said that they were considering switching from Android to iPhone “due to the perceived security and privacy superiority of Apple operating systems.”

In general, iPhone owners feel more secure than Android owners, the survey showed:

According to the users of each type of smartphone, the iPhone 13 Pro Max felt remarkably safer than the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. In fact, iPhone 13 users were more than twice as likely to say that theirs was the most secure smartphone they had ever used. Smartphones weren’t the only pieces of tech where Apple users reported a heightened sense of security. Apple iCloud Keychain (the company’s password storing app) users were seven percentage points more likely than Google Password Manager users to feel “extremely” secure about their password storage method.

The survey also reveals that Android owners suffer security breaches more frequently than iPhone owners. 20% of Android owners said they have never experienced a security breach. Meanwhile, 30% of iPhone owners said they had never been breached.

Scammers frequently infiltrate both Apple’s App Store and Google Play with malicious apps, but the latter make headlines far more often. At least once per month, we report on another dangerous app that thousands of Android owners have downloaded.

No phone is bulletproof, but that’s not the takeaway of this survey. The point that the survey makes clear is that mobile phone owners “perceive” iOS as safer.

More iPhone coverage: For more iPhone news, visit our iPhone 14 guide.