Pixel 10 Pro tops Apple's iPhone 17 in AI-powered scam defence, claims Google

In a recent analysis, Google has highlighted a significant disparity in scam protection between Android and iOS devices, demonstrating that Android users are considerably less exposed to scam messages and calls. This revelation came in a blog post on October 30, coinciding with the conclusion of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The report underscores a troubling trend: fraudsters have increasingly leveraged advanced artificial intelligence tools over the past year, leading to staggering global losses exceeding $400 billion. In response, Android has implemented Google’s AI to create proactive, multi-layered defenses designed to detect and block potential scams before they can reach users. Google claims that its systems are capable of intercepting over 10 billion suspected malicious communications each month, while recent safety checks have successfully barred 100 million dubious numbers from utilizing Rich Communication Services (RCS). According to a joint survey conducted by Google and YouGov, which involved 5,000 smartphone users from the US, India, and Brazil, Android users were found to be 58% more likely than their iOS counterparts to report receiving no scam texts in the week leading up to the survey. Notably, Pixel device owners exhibited an even more remarkable statistic, being 96% more likely than iPhone users to claim they experienced zero scam texts. On the flip side, iPhone users were 65% more likely than Android users to report receiving three or more scam texts in a week, with a staggering 136% increase when compared directly to Pixel users. Furthermore, when it came to perceived effectiveness of scam protection, Android users expressed greater confidence, being 20% more inclined than iOS users to describe their device's defenses as “very effective” or “extremely effective.” Conversely, iPhone users were 150% more likely to consider their device as “not effective at all.” The findings were supported by independent assessments from Counterpoint Research and Leviathan Security Group. Counterpoint's analysis revealed that Android devices, including brands like Samsung, Motorola, and Pixel, provided AI-powered protections across ten critical categories, in stark contrast to just two for iOS. Similarly, a separate study funded by Leviathan Security compared the Pixel 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Moto Razr+ 2025, and iPhone 17, ultimately concluding that Android smartphones, particularly the Pixel 10 Pro, provided superior default protection against scams and fraud. The Pixel 10 Pro received particular praise for its robust features such as call screening, scam detection, and real-time scam warning authentication. Google elaborated on several AI-driven mechanisms that enhance Android's scam defense, including Google Messages, which filters out known spam, blocks dubious links, and employs on-device AI to identify intricate scams like “pig butchering.” Additionally, Phone by Google can block recognized spam calls and even answer on behalf of users to detect scammers through its Call Screen feature. During live calls, Android can alert users in real time if they are being manipulated or if their screens are being shared unknowingly.