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AVG updates anti-virus for Android and iOS
Mon, 3rd Dec 2012
FYI, this story is more than a year old

AVG Technologies has announced the updating of antivirus software across both Android and iOS operating systems.

Launching the AVG AntiVirus for Android and the AVG Safe Browser for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, the mobile security provider says the move is in response to growth within the mobile security market.

“AVG sees mobile as a strategic focus area and since the launch of our first mobile security product in 2010, we have seen immense growth in this area,” says JR Smith, CEO, AVG Technologies.

"We were the first to provide a free security app for Android devices and today we are very excited to announce a new sleeker and easier to use interface on our very popular Android AntiVirus product.

"Also today we are launching AVG Safe Browser for iOS, delivering against our multi-platform strategy.

"This new browser brings AVG’s LinkScanner and AVG Do Not Track technology to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.”

Anti-virus for Android:

AVG says the main eye catcher in updated Android version 3.0.2 is the new easier to use interface, which is based on extensive user feedback according to the company.

Featuring a new dashboard, categories and menus, the new version also incorporates the ‘widget’ feature, allowing users to monitor and interact with the features and indicators without the need to open the app itself.

Other features include:

· Protection – the App and File Scanner protect the mobile device against threats, the Settings Scanner helps to optimise security, SMS Filtering to keep messaging free of scams and Safe Web Surfing protects against suspicious sites before a user lands on them.

· Performance – Tune Up and Task Killer optimise performance.

· Anti-theft – Find and protect a phone if lost or stolen by locating, locking, displaying an onscreen message and wiping it.

· Privacy – App Locker protects your apps from prying eyes by enabling you to lock and secure them individually from being accessed by other people using your phone.

Anti-virus for iPhone:

AVG Safe Browser for iOS allows protects users from online scams and attacks which can occur on any platform with access to the web according to the company.

Sites that are known to be malicious or contain scams or malware will be blocked using data provided by AVG’s LinkScanner technology, as well as built-in mobile security provided by the operating system.

Also featuring the AVG Do Not Track technology, AVG says this informs the user which sites are tracking them online, subsequently allowing the user to block the ad tracking.

The company believes that making users aware of online privacy is a "logical extension to its leading security products."

"And while tracking is not inherently bad, it can be used to collect and share data with third-party companies, a practice that consumers are growing increasingly concerned about and more aware of."