The Most Secure Smartphones of 2023: Top Picks for Privacy-Conscious Consumers

The Most Secure Smartphones of 2023: Top Picks for Privacy-Conscious Consumers

8 mins read
The Most Secure Smartphones of 2023: Top Picks for Privacy-Conscious Consumers

Our smartphones contain the majority of our confidential data, including financial and personal information. Therefore, having a phone that safeguards your privacy is crucial. But do you know what the most secure smartphones of 2023 are? 

Here, we've created a list of the top smartphones in terms of privacy to address this question. Besides, we've also explained why these smartphones are the best available options in 2023.

 

How to Keep Your Phone Private and Secure 

There are very few companies that make privacy and security-based smartphones, so it’s extremely hard to get your hand on one. However, you can still keep your data secure and private on your regular smartphone by keeping these things in your mind: 

  • Set a strong password or PIN to unlock your phone. 
  • Limit app accessibility. Don’t allow apps to access your device's files, camera, contacts, or GPS if you feel it’s unnecessary. 
  • Turn off your device location.
  • Don’t save your passwords in browsers. 
  • Don’t use public WiFi. Stick with your cellular data whenever you are in public places. 
  • Only download apps from the official app stores. 

 

Most Secure Smartphones of 2023

  • Bittium Tough Mobile 2C

Bittium Tough Mobile 2C is one of the most secure smartphones that you can get in 2023. It is an encrypted mobile with a high level of security against data and information leaks. Besides, this Bitium phone also has an always-on VPN and Bittium’s mobile device management.

Talking about its security features, with a press of a button, you can reduce sensor activity and disable microphones, cameras, and Bluetooth to protect your actions from interception. Additionally, the Bittium Tough Mobile 2C has an automatic protection system to protect it from physical attacks. 

For instance, data is encrypted and backed up to the server when someone attempts to download unauthorized data. the phone itself deletes its encryption key to defend itself against Cold Boot Attacks. 

Display

5.2 “Full HD (1080 x 1920) sunlight readable display, Capacitive touch screen usable with gloves and in wet conditions

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 670

RAM

4GB LPDDR4

Storage

64GB eMMC (expandable)

OS

Android 9 Pie (or newer), Available with or without pre-installed Google services

Back Camera

12MP camera with automatic focus, dual LED flash, 4K and Full HD video

Front Camera

5MP 

Battery

3000mAh

Official Price

$1,800

 

  • Sirin Labs Finney U1

Sirin Labs Finney U1 is a blockchain smartphone with an in-built cryptocurrency wallet. This device features an embedded cold storage wallet with its own token conversion center which makes it one of the most secure smartphones in the world. Moreover, the Finney U1 runs on the SIRIN OS, which includes an outstanding security suite layer and decentralized apps (D-Apps) to keep your data secure and private.

Other than that, the Sirin Labs Finney U1 features a Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage.  Besides, the embedded cold storage wallet here supports all the major cryptocurrencies and tokens.

Display

6-inch FHD+, 95% NTSC, 1500:1 contrast ratio, Gorilla Glass

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 845

RAM

6GB

Storage

128GB (expandable)

OS

SIRIN OS

Back Camera

12MP, f/1.8, Dual Phase Detection AF

Front Camera

8MP f/2.2

Battery

3280mAh

Official Price

$999

 

  • Purism Librem 5

The next phone on our list of the most secure smartphone is the Purism Librem 5. It is another phone that lets you protect and control your private information through free and open-source software, open governance, and transparency. Thus, the Librem 5 is built on PureOS, a fully free, ethical, and open-source operating system that is based on Linux.

Like the Bittium 2C, the Librem 5 also features unique hardware kill switches to physically disconnect WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular signal, microphone & camera. Additionally, you receive lifetime security updates, privacy enhancements, bug fixes, and new features with this secure phone without sacrificing performance. 

Display

5.7-inch IPS TFT, 720×1440 pixels 

Processor

NXP i.MX 8M Quad core Cortex A53, 64bit ARM @max 1.5GHz (auxiliary Cortex M4), Vivante GC7000Lite GPU

RAM

3GB

Storage

32GB eMMC (expandable)

OS

PureOS

Back Camera

13MP with flash LED

Front Camera

8MP

Battery

4,500mAh, user-replaceable

Official Price

$1,299

 

Regular Secure Smartphones

As mentioned above, there are very few companies that make privacy and security-based phones. Therefore, do not anticipate such secure smartphones to have the newest hardware or software. In addition, they are extremely difficult to obtain due to their scarcity and ridiculously expensive price tag. 

Therefore, we advise you to protect your confidential data by restricting app access, avoiding public WiFi, and taking the other actions listed above. Additionally, opt for high-end phones from companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google rather than cheap Androids, as they provide plenty of privacy features. 

Moreover, here are some of our top picks:

  • Apple iPhone 14 Series  

Apple’s iPhone 14 series runs on the latest iOS 16, which is one of the most secure mobile operating systems. Since iPhones offer you more control over your information, they typically secure your privacy and data more than other smartphones. Besides, Apple integrates protection and encryption for all of your important info into the device.

The transparency of iOS's app tracking is one of the iPhone's key characteristics. Starting with iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5, apps must request your consent before tracking you across other apps and websites. Besides, the new Lockdown Mode enables an extreme level of protection to stop malware from accessing your phone.

Display

6.1‑inch Super Retina XDR OLED, Always-On display, 2000 nits peak brightness, True Tone, Wide color (P3), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Ceramic Shield

Processor

A16 Bionic (4nm)

Storage

up to 1TB

OS

iOS 16

Back Camera

Triple;

  • 48MP 24 mm, ƒ/1.78 aperture, second-generation sensor-shift optical image stabilization (main)
  • 12MP 13 mm, ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120° field of view (ultra-wide)
  • 12MP 48 mm, ƒ/1.78 aperture (telephoto)

Front Camera

12MP ƒ/1.9 aperture, Autofocus with Focus Pixels

Battery

Up to 23 hours of video playback, 20W fast charging, 7.5W Qi Wireless Charging, 15W MagSafe Wireless charging

 

  • Google Pixel 7 Series 

With the Pixel 7 series, you get Google’s custom-developed 4nm Tensor G2 SoC that also features a built-in Titan M2 chip for security. The Titan M2 supports Google Tensor security core and Android Strongbox, which together protect user data keys while they are being used in the SoC and securely generate and store keys used to safeguard your PINs and passwords. Adding on, the series also features a built-in VPN that helps protect your online activity no matter what app or web browser you use.

Display

6.7-inch LTPO OLED, QHD+ (1440 x 3120), 120 Hz refresh rate, Always-on display, up to 1500 nits brightness, HDR, Gorilla Glass Victus

Processor

Google Tensor G2, Titan M2 security coprocessor

RAM

12GB LPDDR5 RAM

Storage

128GB/256GB/512GB UFS 3.1

OS

  • Android 13

Back Camera

Triple;

  • 50MP f/1.85, OIS, 82°, Octa PD Quad Bayer (wide)
  • 12MP f/2.2, AF, 125.8° (ultrawide)
  • 48MP f/3.5, OIS, 5x optical zoom, Quad Bayer PD (telephoto)

Front Camera

10.8MP, FF, f/2.2, 92.8° ultrawide field of view

Battery

5000mAh, Fast charging, Qi-certified Fast wireless charging, Battery Share

 

  • Samsung Galaxy S23 Series

Last but not least, Samsung’s S23 series also falls under some of the most secure smartphones in the world. With this high-end Android, you get Samsung Knox security, a powerful and secure multilayered technology that provides users with enhanced phone security, offering both hardware and software authentication to protect their data from malicious attacks. Furthermore, the Knox security system protects data against various threats, such as theft & hacking, from a variety of sources.

Another major part of the Samsung S23 series is that it will receive four major Android upgrades and five years of security patches. 

Display

6.8-inch (3088 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD+ Infinity-O-Edge Dynamic AMOLED Display, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate in Game Mode, up to 1750 nits brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus 2

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy

RAM

up to 12GB LPDDR5X

Storage

up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage

OS

Android 13 with One UI 5.1

Back Camera

Triple;

  • 200MP ISOCELL HP2, OIS, f/1.7 aperture (main)
  • 12MP, 120º FOV (ultra-wide-angle)
  • 10MP, 3x optical zoom (telephoto)
  • 10MP, 10x optical zoom (telephoto)

Front Camera

12MP f/2.2 aperture

Battery

5000mAh, 45W fast charging, Qi wireless charging

 

Most Secure Smartphones of 2023

Secure Smartphones

Official Price 

Bittium Tough Mobile 2C

$1,800

Sirin Labs Finney U1

$999

Purism Librem 5

$1,299

Apple iPhone 14 Series 

Starts from $799

Samsung Galaxy S23 Series 

Starts from $799

Google Pixel 7 Series 

Starts from $599

 

Conclusion

Smartphones have made carrying around our private papers very simple. Consequently, they have also multiplied the risk of getting our information leaked online. So, having a secure smartphone seems a must in today’s day and age. 

Even if you don't own a smartphone that’s solely dedicated to security, you can still safeguard your personal data by limiting app accessibility, avoiding public WiFi, using official apps for App Store/Play Store, and more. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which phones get hacked the most?

- Cheap smartphones with weak security features are most likely to get hacked. 

2. Why iPhone security is better than Android?

- iPhone security is better than Android because it’s harder to download dangerous apps, and apps from the App Store go through a stricter vetting process. Besides, you get more frequent security updates on iPhones than most Android phones. 

 

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