Best Phones for Privacy and Security

When there are so many smartphones on the market, you might often find yourself intimidated by the choices. Besides design, specifications and pricing, privacy and security are vital in 2018 as your data is often insecure and could get hacked easily by third parties.

Compared to Android, iOS is a more secure platform because of Apple's stringent rules governing privacy and security, but it's also expensive and doesn't allow you to customize settings to fit what you might want.

If you'd rather choose a different smartphone brand, there are plenty of other options to choose from.

So, here's a list of some of the most popular and secure phones available today that you could go for.

Comparison Table

BlackBerry KEYone

Fingerprint Scanner, Full Disk Encryption, Hardware Stored Encrypted Keys

$499

Apple iPhone X

Facial ID, File-Based Encryption, Dedicated Hardware Chip

$999

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Fingerprint Scanner, File-Based Encryption, Hardware Stored Keys

$950

Google Pixel 2

Fingerprint Scanner, File-Based Encryption, Hardware Stored Keys

$649

Blackberry phones were always the first choice for business people long before the iOS and Android operating systems came into being. The Blackberry KEYone brings the best of Android OS and the security associated with its now-obsolete operating system.

If you are looking for the best privacy and security, KEYone is the device to go for. It features secure TCL hardware and Linux Kernel while providing the convenience of using all popular Android apps.

Pros:

• Hardware Root of Trust every time you boot up.
• Linux Kernel makes it hack-proof.
• TCL designed hardware-based encryption.

Cons:

• Choice of models or design not available.
• Looks more professional and won't appeal to the young crowd.

Once you decide to go with the iOS, there is no looking back-Apple offers a fine balance between security and refined user experience, and that's precisely why so many Apple users are loyal to the brand. The company provides the latest patches quickly to its phones, including the iPhone X, as they have direct control over the hardware.

The newly launched Face ID feature makes iPhone X phones harder to crack and most Apple devices run on the latest version of iOS, making it more reliable and secure against threats. Apple's app ecosystem is pretty tight, with less malware-ridden apps operating on the platform compared to Android.

Pros:

• Amazingly well-designed phone.
• Face ID is more secure than fingerprint scanner.
• Malware apps don't often find their way into the App Store.

Cons:

• Face ID is still an experimental concept.
• iOS is not completely hack - or bug-proof.

On the Android front, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is an apt choice as it uses Samsung Knox, a platform that combines hardware and software encryption to provide the highest level of privacy for user data.

Knox always plays an integral role in segregating your personal life from your professional one so that the data collected doesn't merge, leading to any kind of leaks.

A secure boot key is also installed in Note 8 phones, which confirms the device is working as intended and the operating system's data is not tampered with at any point to log your activities.

Pros:

• Device Root Key integration secures Note 8 phones at every boot.
• Equipped with Samsung Knox encryption technology.
• Spectacularly well-designed and provides a clean Android experience.

Cons:

• Some of the security measures may slow down Note 8 phones more than expected.
• The size of the device is pretty big for most users and is geared towards business users.

The biggest advantage of using Google Pixel 2 phones is that they're made by the parent company directly. Android updates are rolled out to Pixel phones at a very fast pace.

Software-based security is provided for the smartphone as well as the data stored within.

The latest version of Android and the newest patches have been provided to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL phones, first making them an ideal choice for those who love balance between security and style.

Pros:

• Pixel 2 phones are directly monitored by Google to provide the latest patches.
• Spectacular design combined with a great camera and cloud storage capability.
• Latest Android updates for Pixel 2 phones.

Cons:

• No choice of design and offers pure Vanilla Android with no nifty features.
• Doesn't have manufacturer-specific security features in place.

Disclaimer:

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