Safest Smartphones in 2020

With cybercrime and the risk of data breaches on the rise in recent years, it has become essential to have secure, reliable devices for work and personal use. Today, there are a lot of threats to smartphones such as viruses, privacy-invasive apps, and ransomware.

So what are the best smartphones for staying safe online? Let’s look at some of the most secure smartphones you can find today.

BlackBerry KEY2

The BlackBerry KEY2 is a very impressive device when it comes to security. Of course, its standout feature is its physical hardware keyboard. However, it also boasts a number of security features that make it a great purchase for security-conscious consumers.

The BlackBerry KEY2 smartphone comes with Android 8.1 Oreo. It also comes with several pre-installed apps that secure various aspects of the device. The device features a 4.5-inch 1620x1080 display with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio. It has a 3500 mAh battery and the Snapdragon 660 chip.

To boost privacy, BlackBerry preinstalls the Firefox Focus mobile browser which blocks web trackers and automatically deletes browsing sessions after they are completed. The KEY2 also features BlackBerry’s DTEK security suite which allows users to monitor the activities of the apps on their devices.

The BlackBerry KEY2 devices offer great value for money, especially for security-conscious business users who also like the idea of a mechanical keyboard.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

Samsung Galaxy’s Note line of devices is popular among productivity-focused business users. Note 10 Plus is the latest flagship from this line and it offers an array of impressive specs and security features.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus has a bezel-less 6.8-inch 1440p display. It has the snappy Snapdragon 855 CPU, 12 gigs of RAM, and a 4,300 mAh battery. Note 10 Plus also features the nifty S Pen which makes it easier to take notes, sketch, and sign documents.

In the area of security, the Note 10 Plus features Samsung’s Knox technology which allows you to restrict the activities of potentially privacy-invasive applications. Note 10 Plus also regularly gets security updates and patches to keep it safe from security flaws.

iPhone 11 Pro

The iPhone 11 Pro is Apple’s latest smartphone offering and one of the safest phones you can buy today. Apple has proven over time that it takes privacy very seriously. It’s one of the brands with exceptional support for its full range of devices.

The iPhone 11 Pro is Apple’s best iPhone in recent years. It features a sharp, vibrant 5.8 inch OLED screen. It has Apple’s excellent A13 Bionic chip and 4GB RAM. It also has a new triple-camera setup with some of the best photo and video capabilities on the market.

As you probably already know, iPhones are incredibly difficult to hack into. Apple offers an advanced sandboxing feature with encryption that isolates applications and prevents them from compromising other apps or the operating system. Users can control what apps are allowed to do through the permissions settings for each app. The iPhone’s facial recognition feature is also very secure and difficult to crack.

The iPhone 11 Pro is a great device for privacy-conscious individuals as well as non-tech savvy consumers who will appreciate the simplicity of iOS 13.

Google Pixel 4

If you’re okay with Google knowing a lot about you, then the Google Pixel 4 is one of the most secure devices to consider. Google is the company behind the Android operating system and offers many security features in Pixel 4. Some of these include file-based encryption and direct boot.

Google also offers excellent support for its Pixel devices. The Android operating system also features a permissions system that requires apps to request user permission before making any modifications to the user’s device.

When it comes to specs and features, the Pixel 4 boasts a 5.7-inch 1080p screen, the Snapdragon 855 processor, 6 gigs of RAM, and some of the best cameras for still photography. Battery life is the only major letdown compared to its rivals. Nonetheless, Pixel 4 is a great device for Android users who are looking for speedy security updates and excellent customer support.

Conclusion

The smartphones reviewed above are some of the safest mainstream smartphones you can purchase today. However, if you want even more security and are willing to make certain compromises to get it, other devices such as the KATIM phone, Sirin Solarin, and the Blackphone 2 offer exceptional security.

Of course, one of the cheapest ways to boost security and privacy on any smartphone is to use a VPN service. These services encrypt your online traffic and offer many other security features that keep your device safe online. If you use an Android device, you can check these VPNs to learn more about the best options available to you.

 Alex Mitchell, cybersecurity expert, VPNpro.com