[pentae]

A quick search resulted in this: "Android malware saw a 67% increase in 2025, with over 40 million downloads of malicious apps targeting banking and stealing data, frequently hiding in "Tools" and utility apps on the Google Play Store."

So no, I don't think that's a small amount of risk, even if there's billions of Android users in the wild.

Especially considering how much money can be stolen from peoples bank accounts

[malfist]

A 67% increase of a 0.001% chance is just 0.00167%.

67% of android users in 2025 did not get their banking credentials stolen.

[pentae]

I think you need to check your math there. 40 million devices in 2 billion is 2%. Not 0.001%

[tomrod]

Is the count 40 million devices or 40 million downloads? One imagines a world where malware downloads other malware.

[malfist]

Do people only ever download exactly one malware app?

[monooso]

A source for your claim would be helpful. Here's an alternative take, with source:

> In Q2 2025, the number of attacks involving malware, adware, and unwanted software decreased compared to Q1.

https://securelist.com/malware-report-q2-2025-mobile-statist...

[AlienRobot]

Much of this could be solved if the base system simply came with basic utilities.

Windows XP had an audio recording app and most people didn't even have microphones. Now we have smartphones that don't have a way to record audio as a file or even write text notes built into the system, forcing you to use third-party tools that can be maliscious.

[Hikikomori]

Comes with keep notes and the recorder app?

[mrguyorama]

Default installed apps are often carrier dependent.

It is true that at certain points I have bought brand new Android phones that did not come with such basic utilities, including utilities that bargain priced feature phones were expected to have, like a sound recorder.

IIRC, the Droid Turbo 2 I got in 2016ish came with Android 2 and did not come with a sound recording app stock. It also did not have a file browser stock. This was a Flagship product. The flashlight was not included for long enough for the top ten app, a flashlight app, to be on a significant quantity of android phones and end up being a data harvesting operation.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2013/12/...