Renowned brands such as Apple, Samsung, and Google consistently incorporate additional security layers to enhance protection on their smartphones. Nevertheless, despite these measures, they remain susceptible to hacking. For individuals, who need a smartphone that offers absolute security, venturing beyond the regular brands and typical tech specifications might be necessary.
For those seeking the most secure smartphone, here are a few options worth exploring:
The Librem 5 by Purism is a security and privacy-first smartphone that offers all the controls to the user. Built on top of PureOS, an operating system based on Linux, the device offers all the software and hardware-related controls to the user, so that no one can track. The key highlights of this smartphone are the physical kill switches to disable wireless networks like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular signal. It also has switches to fully disable cameras and microphones on the device.
Unlike most modern smartphones, the Purism Librem 5 comes with a user-replaceable battery. As per the basic smartphone features are concerned, the device has a large display at the front and it can even play games like Neverball, thanks to the powerful Vivante GC7000Lite GPU with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.
The Sirin Labs Finney U1 is a secure smartphone, backed by blockchain technology and it is also touted as the world’s first cyber-protected blockchain-enabled smartphone. While it runs on a modified version of Google’s Android with a built-in Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), the smartphone supports calls, messages, and emails with real-time end-to-end encryption.
The device also comes with a Finney App lock, which lets users further secure the content stored on the phone and it also has an embedded cold storage wallet that can only be accessed through the 2-inch multi-touch safe screen. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC with 128 GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for additional storage expansion.
This smartphone comes with a tagline “New standard for ultra-secure mobile communications,” indicating, it’s a device that takes security seriously. The smartphone has been designed and built by professionals with the highest security requirements and is manufactured in Finland. This smartphone also offers end-to-end encryption and features tamper-proof technology that prevents hardware manipulation and data theft.
The device has hardware-based privacy mode for wireless connections and it is equipped with the Bittium Secure Call technology, which enables audio and video calls with end-to-end encryption. The smartphone runs on hardened Android 11 or newer versions, and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 SoC.
Katim R01 is also known as an ultra-secure phone with a rugged build quality. The device is powered by a secure operating system, and according to the company, this is a tamper-proof smartphone with MIL-STD 810G military certification. The smartphone stores all the data on the device in a secure environment with support for two-factor authentication, which includes a passcode and fingerprint. Even the USB interface on this smartphone is secure against malware and data theft.
The device is powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC and it features a large 6.56-inch display with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by Katim OS, based on Hardened Android and the rugged external body ensures that the smartphone supports commercial LTE networks, and includes a dedicated button to enable Shield mode, which completely disables wireless networks, microphones, and cameras on the smartphone.