That app isn’t really free…

In a time when it seems everyone has a smart phone, it is not surprising there has been an explosion in the number of mobile apps at our finger tips. There seems to be an app for everything. While most apps are quite useful (whether for a specific task or simply for fun), we as consumers need to be aware that not all apps are built equal. This is particularly true of “free” apps. Many people gravitate towards these “free” apps or free versions of paid apps. However these apps are rarely truly free. The developers and Companies are for-profit business. So how are they making their money?

Some apps are genuinely free to download, as their true profitability is through other means such as generating purchases. A few of examples of this could include:

1. Your favourite delivery place’s app, it is free because the company will make its money by making it easy for its patrons to view the menu and submit an order using the app.
2. Free game apps that sell upgrades and extra features, whose initial download and basic play is free however added features.
3. The free version of the game does not contain all the features or has numerous pop-up ads, to get the full version or turn off these ads you need to upgrade (and pay) for the full version.

While there are many examples of apps that are legitimately free, there are unfortunately many out there that are not what they appear. Our smartphones are in essence small computers, and similar to our computers are home or at work they can get viruses. These viruses are often downloaded through malicious apps. Consumers are enticed to download these malicious apps with the offer of it being free.

A malicious mobile application will in all likelihood perform the functions you expect it to, other than perhaps some performance issues on your phone, slower than usual, freezes up or the phone reboots on its own, you may have no indication there is anything wrong. However in the background the application may be executing functions or accessing data without your knowledge. Malicious applications will often want to access your information (such as contacts, photos, location, social media accounts, etc.) or it may be accessing other apps such as your banking apps or email.

There are ways for you as a consumer to protect yourself, here are some tips on how to prevent mobile malware:

• Only download apps from the official stores (iTunes, Google Play, or Blackberry World)
• Research the app and the developer, only download/purchase from reputable developers
• Pay attention to the permissions the app is requesting, are they really required?
• You can get additional protection by downloading a mobile phone anti-virus, many of the big name AV companies now have mobile versions of their software

Ultimately we, as consumers, need to make sure we’re aware of the product we’re downloading and purchasing is coming from. Sometimes the ‘cost’ of a free app isn’t worth it. Doing a little research and reading the fine print will go a long way in protecting our devices and personal information.