The Android Vs. iphone smartphone race is a lot like the Windows vs. Mac rivalry. On one side is a broadly licensed operating system used by many manufacturers. On the other is a locked down and expensive hardware platform.
However, According to Internet Security Firm Kaspersky, Android favors Windows in another, more sinister way: It's become a playground for malware creators.
Kaspersky recognized 70 different types of malware last month, said chief technology officer Nikolay Grebennikov.
Getting malware onto Android phones is easy. Once a developer has signed up to the Android Marketplace,which cost just $25, they can start releasing software straight away and there are no checks on the apps they create.
However, Google has put in place a number of protection systems. Apps runs in Sandbox environment, for example, which hives them off in memory and should mean they're unable to compromise the entire phone.
Thirdly, whenever any software is installed on a user's phone, the user is informed of what hardware components of the phone the software will use. An app might need to use the Internet connection and cause the phone to vibrate, for example, and the user will have to agree to this.
Essentially, the difference between the Google and Apple approach to app stores is that Google places the responsibility for security on the phone and its user, whereas Apple attempts to prevent security being an issue for users.
Apple's way of doing things is expensive but effective--having people check over every app that's released is labor-intensive. However, Google's approach provides significantly more freedom and openness, and ultimately more customer choice.
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