Android vs Windows phone

[Poltergeist93]

Which mobile operating system is considered safer?

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[VW Maverick]

Safer from hacking? Something else?

Mav.

 

[Poltergeist93]

Yes from hacking I'm terms of viruses and such. Like apps requiring certain permissions like android. How does a windows phone operating system work?

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[peacefulberry]

Yes from hacking I'm terms of viruses and such. Like apps requiring certain permissions like android. How does a windows phone operating system work?

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I believe apps are generally sandboxed (protected from the phone's root directory) on both platforms. The risk comes mostly in rooting, which windows phones are not able to do at the moment. On android when a phone is rooted, the user has access and permissions to use the phone's root directory. This is why rooting should be done for specific reasons by those that are knowledgeable of both pros and cons of rooting. If an app with superuser full permissions compromises the phone's security, then there is definitely a problem. I am a windows phone user and I've always felt that windows phone was safer until i used android for myself. Apps have the same types of permissions on both platforms. Microsoft is no stranger to viruses and security issues either (even though I haven't seen viruses on wp.)

Bottom line is that if you install trusted apps on an unrooted device, I don't feel as though one platform is safer than the other.

 

[peacefulberry]

I forgot to mention a few points:

1. Android is a more customizable os, so you will be able to protect or mess up your device greater than an os with slim customizable options.
2. There is presently no way to deny certain app permissions on windows phone, whereas there are apps on android to help with this.
3. Android has over 1 million more apps than windows phone, so the amount of security flawed apps will be significantly higher than wp.

 

[Poltergeist93]

I forgot to mention a few points:

1. Android is a more customizable os, so you will be able to protect or mess up your device greater than an os with slim customizable options.
2. There is presently no way to deny certain app permissions on windows phone, whereas there are apps on android to help with this.
3. Android has over 1 million more apps than windows phone, so the amount of security flawed apps will be significantly higher than wp.

Thank you very much! You answered my question perfectly!

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