Android and iOS both offer a range of smartphone security functions, but differ sharply in how broadly they allow third-party apps, how they respond to theft and how they approach privacy. Both support two-factor authentication and built-in password managers. Apple relies on App Store review and malware detection, while Android uses Google Play Protect and permits sideloading, which can raise risk. Experts say security depends less on the operating system than on which protections users enable.

Chinese researchers have proposed a new biometric authentication technology that unlocks devices by identifying a user’s unique heartbeat pattern through earbuds. The team named the method AccLock and said it could extend Touch ID and Face ID into an “Ear ID” concept. It uses accelerometers commonly built into earbuds rather than dedicated heart-rate sensors, and could work across various wireless earbuds. The technology remains at the research stage.