The assortment of apps you have to wade through when powering on a new phone for the first time is about to grow by one. Samsung is expected to announced on Wednesday that is has licensed Lookout's anti-malware suit for all its upcoming Android devices. No word yet on whether or not current devices will get Lookout as an update.
Some users take it upon themselves to install apps like Lookout, but others don't want to put up with the added hassle and battery drain. If a phone isn't full of random APKs from around the internet, the risk of true malware infection is very low. Most users that know their way around Android will probably disable Lookout in the system settings. However, this move might not be directed at regular consumers. Samsung is pushing business features in its phones with features like the Knox data segregation system. Lookout is yet another way for IT to lock down a phone.
Samsung doesn't jut sell high-end phones, though. Lookout could also be important to users in the developing world, where Google's services are spotty or non-existent. These are the people most likely to install apps from shady places around the web where Android malware is a legitimate concern.
This is far from the first time a company has forged a deal with anti-malware makers. Carriers like T-Mobile and Sprint have done so in a limited fashion. However, this is the first time an OEM has decided to add antivirus across all its devices, and Samsung is by far the largest maker of Android phones. The phone maker might have more to say when the deal is officially announced.
[WSJ]
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