If you’re one of the few remaining people who haven’t upgraded to a smartphone, or if you’re looking to switch the model of smartphone you’re using, the big question will usually come down to this: Android or iOS? There’s plenty to consider when making this choice. Google’s Android is available on more carriers and usually at a lower price. iOS has a larger market, but Android has more free options. The iPad is the clear leader in tablets, and the iPhone has a definite aesthetic appeal. iOS gets its updates more consistently. Android has about 17 billion different models so you can pick the perfect one for you. But one of the major issues that’s, shockingly enough, overlooked by most users is that of security.

By “security” we simply mean how vulnerable the system is to cyber-attacks from malicious users. According to numerous security groups and privacy watchdogs, iOS is the clear winner in this field. But why? Here are three reasons Google Android is a less secure OS.

1. Apple controls their hardware completely (since they make it) and thus can ensure that patches, OS updates, and security fixes are issued immediately on all devices. Google has to process everything through hardware developers and carriers, who must customize updates for all devices in question.
2. Apple screens applications before they let them into the market, preventing many malicious, insecure, or unstable programs from making it to users. Android doesn’t screen apps for issues. It’s as simple as that.
3. Google Android is open source, meaning you can examine all the code of the OS. That’s fantastic if you’re a developer – even if you’re a developer of malicious software.

It’s not as though Google isn’t actively fighting malicious users. That doesn’t change the inevitable conclusion of the evidence presented: iOS is substantially more secure than Android.