Android Phones Block Scams Better Than iPhone—Google Study

Android Phones Block Scams Better Than iPhone… According to Google

1. The Headline Google Wants You to See

To mark Cyber-security Awareness Month, Google released a blog post and third-party data arguing that Android—especially Pixel—phones shield owners from scams more effectively than iPhones. The claim is based on two independent studies (YouGov & Counterpoint) plus Google’s own server logs showing 10 billion suspicious calls or texts blocked every month on Android devices.

2. What the Numbers Say

• 58 % more Android users than iPhone users reported zero scam texts in the past week.

• 65 % more iPhone users received three or more scam texts during the same period.

• 20 % more Android owners rated their device’s scam protection “very or extremely effective”

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• Pixel owners were 96 % more likely than iPhone owners to say they didn’t receive any scam texts at all.

3. Why Google Says Android Wins

Layered, on-device AI:

• Google Messages uses a large-language-model filter to flag social-engineering texts mid-conversation, not just at first contact.

• Phone by Google offers live call-screening and real-time audio alerts if a caller asks for passwords or gift cards.

• Gmail & Chrome Safe Browsing block phishing links before they reach SMS or chat apps.

• Play Protect scans installed and sideloaded apps daily for fleece-ware or fake banking trojans.

Because processing happens on-device, Google insists no call content is stored in the cloud.

4. Counterpoint Research Break-down

Analysts benchmarked flagship models from Pixel, Samsung, Motorola and iPhone. Android devices covered all nine security sub-categories (calls, texts, email, browsing, app malware, theft protection, etc.), whereas iPhone protections were confirmed in only two.

Side-by-side, the Pixel 10 Pro pulls ahead on every front that matters for scam defence: it can screen calls live while they’re happening, flash a real-time “this looks like a scam” banner inside an ongoing text thread, and lean on an on-device AI model that spots phishing links before you even tap them. Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro still lacks those interactive alerts—its spam filtering is limited to silencing unknown callers and a basic SMS filter that only tags known senders, leaving most dodgy texts untouched in the main inbox.

5. iPhone Users Report Higher Spam Load

YouGov’s 5 000-person survey across the US, India and Brazil found iPhone owners 150 % more likely than Pixel users to say their device is “not effective at all” against mobile fraud

. Apple’s iMessage filter exists, but only tags known senders; unknown-number texts land unfiltered in the main inbox unless users manually enable “Filter Unknown Senders”.

6. Apple’s Counter-Argument

Apple points to Lockdown Mode, iOS 26.1’s new LLM fraud shield and a $5 million bug-bounty as proof it takes mobile security seriously. A spokesperson told Forbes that “iMessage and FaceTime use end-to-end encryption by default”—a privacy layer not yet universal on Android’s RCS.

7. The Real-World Impact

Mobile scams stole over $400 billion globally in the past 12 months; only 4 % of victims recovered funds. Google’s argument: default, friction-free protection matters more than opt-in tools because most users never flip the switch.

8. Bottom Line

Independent data does suggest Android phones—especially Pixels—intercept more scam traffic before it reaches the user, and owners notice the difference. Whether that makes Android “safer” overall is still debated, but for everyday texters and callers, Google’s AI net appears to catch more hooks than Apple’s privacy-first, but lighter, filter set.

Sources

• Forbes – New Research Claims iPhone Less Safe Than Google Android Phones – 30 Oct 2025
  

• 9to5Google – Google study finds Android avoids 58% more spam and scam texts compared to iOS – 30 Oct 2025

• Android Authority – Android is dunking on iPhone at scam protection – 31 Oct 2025
  

• Android Central – Google says Android phones now block more scams than iPhones – 31 Oct 2025
  

• BGR – Google Says iPhone More Likely To Get Scam Texts And Calls – 31 Oct 2025