nixCraft 🐧

Google claims Android phones now block more scams than iPhones: Android systems, particularly on Pixel Pro 10, are more effective against common real-world threats like social engineering scams via calls and texts. Full report here at Google to make your own conclusions

https://security.googleblog.com/2025/10/how-android-protects-you-from-scams.html?m=1

Has anyone noticed such a difference? Or is it just one vendor pushing yet another marketing campaign?

How Android provides the most effective protection to keep you safe from mobile scams

Posted by Lyubov Farafonova, Product Manager, Phone by Google; Alberto Pastor Nieto, Sr. Product Manager Google Messages and RCS Spam and Ab...

Google Online Security Blog
Nov 4 at 1:16amWeb
Show threadVissNov 4
@nixCraft only works on pixel phones. every other android phone is screwed
Show threadnixCraft 🐧Nov 4
@Viss yeah, many android devices don’t get any updates for years
Show threadVissNov 4

@nixCraft its not about updates, its about google having two castes of phone - theirs, and 'everyone elses'. their phones get all the good stuff - but nobody elses do. so you only get those 'great features' if you buy a pixel.

and even then, like @josephdickson mentioned, not even all pixels get it

Show threadJoseph DicksonNov 4
@Viss @nixCraft I have a Pixel 9a and still get unsolicited calls and texts a day or two a week: that's on top of adding T-Mobile's block feature.
Show threadmae Nov 4
@nixCraft you ask if they're pushing a marketing campaign, i wonder wouldn't lying on that report be illegal in some jurisdictions? i'm not too sure.
Show threadNick SaccenteNov 4
@nixCraft they do this by training on all of your data, violating your privacy, and selling your personal details for haypennies on the dollar.
Show threadlxskllrNov 4

@nixCraft

:shrugs: I don't really get scams. Phone calls don't get through unless you're in my contact list. I let sms through as an emergency backup because I don't get contacted aside from people that know me/I do business with.

Aside from android itself, I only use programs from f-droid. Phone's a Motorola.

Show threadCorvusNov 4

@nixCraft scanning over that report, my brain files this under marketing campaign.

Just one example: they claim improved protection from scam email on android than on iOS. Even if their data indicates so, there are way more variables (for example: what email service, what email client did they use?). The phone OS can not be the root cause here.

Show threadPiotr SmyrakNov 4
@nixCraft Looks like is a marketing campaign to promote AI on top of RCS (Rich Communication Services), which Google controls via services sold to operators and Guest RCS.
Show threadWerySkok Nov 4
@nixCraft I'm in Russia and I'm getting a lot of unwanted calls. Thankfully, Yandex provides its own service with call reporting and warning users about known bad numbers. I set it up to block all these numbers, and now I'm rarely disturbed by them.
Show threadRay McCarthyNov 4
@nixCraft
I don't believe it because most successful scams are "social engineering".
Malware is a different issue.
Show threadChris1776Nov 4
@nixCraft And they claim apps like Immich are "unsafe": https://immich.app/blog/google-flags-immich-as-dangerous
Google flags Immich sites as dangerous | Immich Blog

How Google actively breaks Immich deployments, an open-source Google Photos alternative.

Immich Blog — Latest updates, announcements, and stories from the Immich team.
Show threadMadalin Ignisca 🇪🇺🇪🇦Nov 4
@nixCraft I have been using Truecaller for half a year now and my phones do not give me anxiety anymore. Paying 3-4x the time for a Pixel is not worth when Truecaller premium per month is so cheap long term. And iPhone had spam protection? Where, I want to try it (reason why I ended up with Truecaller, as iOS has API to allow using apps that provide this).
Show threadBrandt KurowskiNov 5
@nixCraft I switched from an iPhone to Google Pixel in September, and the difference is palpable. I was getting at least one or two spam/scam calls per day before, now it's less than one per week. It was an unanticipated but delightful side effect of the platform switch.