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The findings, detailed in Appdome’s two-year survey entitled UK Consumer Expectations of Mobile Security Survey , reveals how British consumers use mobile apps and their expectations of mobile app security, compared to the findings from more than 25,000 consumers globally. The survey is designed to help mobile developers, cyber security professionals and brands adapt their mobile app security and mobile anti-fraud strategies to meet the expectations of British consumers for protection in the mobile channel.

“There are thousands of apps competing for British consumers’ attention and brands need to work much harder to gain the top spot as Britain’s most used and trusted apps,” said Tom Tovar, CEO and co-creator of Appdome. “Mobile app security is a key part of the mobile user experience and this survey arms mobile brands with the information needed to choose the right protections for mobile apps and users.”

British consumers have definitely gone mobile. Nearly half (49%) now prefer to use mobile apps versus other digital channels (31%) when engaging with brands. In addition, when British consumers were asked what level of protection is needed in mobile apps, 43% of them responded that they demand the highest level of protection, including protection against hacking, fraud and malware threats. Only 6% of UK consumers said they required no protection. At 29%, mobile malware was the greatest concern among UK consumers. That’s an increase of 89% when compared to last year’s survey results. However, the fastest growing concern among UK consumers was mobile developers that failed to add security, anti-malware and anti-fraud measures in their mobile apps, a jump of 184% when compared to last year.

For brands the rewards are greater than the risks for meeting the consumer’s mobile security demands.
• 93% of British consumers made it clear that they will reward and promote brands who protect their mobile app data and use from hackers, fraud and malware.
• 28.9% of British consumers would be more likely to publicly hashtag or share an app recommendation on social media, and 22.3% would be likely to recommend the app privately to friends and family, if their security expectations are met.
• 22.3% said “Likely, I’d stop using it and find alternatives”, and 39% said “Very likely, I’d stop using the app and tell my friends to stop too, if they discovered it didn’t protect their data or use.
• 71% of Android and 66% of iOS users state they would abandon the brand/app and tell others to do so as well if a mobile app they use was breached or hacked.

“Protecting mobile apps has gone far beyond a compliance objective,” said Chris Roeckl, Chief Product Officer at Appdome. “British consumers have a high degree of cyber, fraud and malware sophistication and bring with them high expectations to their mobile app experience that mobile brands must meet to be successful.”

The survey included respondents from across the demographic spectrum, including Android & iOS users, different generations, genders, and economic backgrounds.