In the past two decades or so, the smartphone app ecosystem has undergone a remarkable transformation. There are now millions of apps available across a wide variety of stores, but this availability has brought with it a range of security challenges for iPhone users.
Understanding how to install trusted apps and properly manage your accounts is quickly becoming essential for everyone. Not only to protect the integrity of your device, but to safeguard your personal information and sensitive financial data.
In this guide, we will walk you through the critical steps needed to maintain the security of your Apple device and install only trusted apps, avoiding unsafe providers.
Understanding iOS App Installation and Security
The Apple operating system has been designed with security and safety as foundational principles. Unlike other platforms, Apple’s restricts app installations primarily to the official App Store. This means that every app you can download through the store has been rigorously reviewed by Apple’s security team before being made available to users.
Like everything though, it’s not 100% foolproof. There can still be some apps that slip through the net. Whilst the security team screens for malicious code, privacy violations and functionality issues, malevolent apps can still sneak through by disguising themselves as legitimate ones.
This isn’t meant to scare you off using the App Store, rather it is intended to alert you to the fact that there is a small chance that you could download an unsafe app on Apple’s official store. So, how should you go about avoiding this? By following our…
Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Trusted Apps
Research
Before downloading any application, it’s imperative that you take a little bit of time to research the reputation of the app in question. Read user reviews carefully, paying particular attention to the most recent feedback, rather than just the overall rating – a high rating can be attained by using bots. That’s where review sites gain extra importance, the more competitive the industry, the more coverage there should be on the providers, so use this to your advantage.
The iGaming market is very competitive, and as a result there are plenty of ways to check which sites to use. Check out third-party reviews so you can be sure they’re genuine, for example if you’re planning on using iPhone casino apps to enjoy games on the go, a trusted review site can help you to attain bonuses and ensure you’re using a provider with a high RTP rate.
Look for patterns in the complaints from real accounts, keeping an eye out for recurring criticisms of functionality, privacy factors and immoral behavior such as withdrawing funds and not processing refunds.
Another handy tip is to find out the name of the developer and do a quick Google check of the company to get a gauge on what they are like. If you’re still unsure, hit the ‘news’ section on Google to see if there are any recent media articles about the developer.
Finally, when you’ve followed the steps above, tap on the listing on the App Store to view the detailed information. This will give you all the information that Apple has on the app, including more customer reviews and screenshots. If you’re happy after reviewing all of this information, click download, get or the pay button to start downloading the app to your device.
Managing Permissions
You might think that after downloading the app your work is done. Not true. Typically, as soon as you download an app it will ask you a series of questions about what it can and cannot access on your device. Never blindly agree to every request and instead ask yourself whether it is necessary for the app to request permission to the information it is asking for.
Does a Map app need access to your contact list and photos? Does it make sense to allow a gaming app to access your banking app? Think these questions through carefully and if you’re not sure afterwards, head over to the Privacy & Security section in the settings to review your permissions.
Review Payments
The final tip to safe app management is to regularly review your App Store account. One of the sneakiest and most annoying tricks that apps use is to sign users up to free trials that start billing after a certain number of days.
Traditionally apps would offer 14 or 28 days free, but some have started offering random lengths of time like 3, 9 or 12 days to catch users out. The subscription price can be eye watering too, with many apps charging the annual amount rather than the monthly amount after the expiration of the free trial.
Don’t get caught out by this. Make a habit of checking your subscriptions via the settings page regularly to cancel any unnecessary subscriptions or free trials.
In Summary
We don’t have access to the same level of security features that Apple do, but we can use common sense to help us from falling victim to unscrupulous app developers. If you follow the steps listed above, you’ll dramatically reduce your chances of losing out on your mobile device.
