Samsung Galaxy S10 will have McAfee pre-installed for “anti-malware protection”

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In a move that is bound to raise eyebrows, McAfee has announced at MWC 2019 that it is extending its partnership with Samsung to pre-install anti-malware protection powered by McAfee VirusScan onto the Samsung Galaxy S10.

McAfee has partnered with Samsung previously, allowing the software security company to pre-install “anti-malware protection powered by McAfee VirusScan” onto the Galaxy S8 too. The security application was then extended to the Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and the Galaxy Note 5, with the limited caveat that availability may vary between markets.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 will also come with Samsung Secure Wi-Fi service, for which McAfee provides the backend infrastructure. Samsung’s Secure Wi-Fi attempts to safeguard sensitive information with encryption, which will reduce the security threats associated with using unprotected public and private WiFi networks. Secure Wi-Fi is provided in the USA for T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular consumers, while selected markets in the Europe will also get to experience this service. Samsung will provide 250 MB of monthly data at no cost under this service, along with the option for users to purchase unlimited daily or monthly bandwidth.

Curiously, McAfee’s press release does not provide any information on how its anti-malware protection helps out on an Android device. Malware on Android takes different forms, and there is no “one-stop” solution to protecting your device against popular malware. Android’s monthly security updates are much more effective at patching up vulnerabilities, more so than what an app solution like McAfee can provide. Xiaomi also provides for an “antivirus” solution by incorporating Cheetah Mobile’s Clean Master into the OS, but that relationship is shady and untrustworthy in our opinion. Despite questionable habits of the average Android consumer, the debate still continues on whether Android needs antivirus solutions or not.