When you have a smartphone that is never locked, you leave it at risk any time it is left unattended. While away, someone else could get access to it and make changes to the device that impact how and when the device works.
If someone gets hold of your phone, tablet or computer, and there's no lock screen, the thief suddenly has access to everything on your device.
More than a quarter (28%) of smartphone owners say they do not use a screen lock or other security features to access their phone. And while a majority of smartphone users say they have updated their phone's apps or operating system, about 40% say they only update when it's convenient for them.
If you leave your smartphone unattended for a while – or worse, if it's lost or stolen - you don't want to make it easy for someone to go through the contents. Setting your smartphone lock means that a PIN or password is required for access after an inactive period.
According to a survey conducted between October and November 2021, approximately 32 percent of respondents protected access to their mobile devices with a PIN or a passcode.
Downsides of Buying a Locked Phone
For example, you cannot switch carriers whenever you like. If you want to switch carriers, you'll need to purchase an entirely new phone (particularly if your current phone has a very limited antenna, as described above).
A PIN code is a simple alternative to a password. Android allows PINs of up to 16 digits, which equates to 10 quadrillion combinations. While a 16-digit PIN is extremely secure, it's tough to remember. Most people are more likely to choose a four digit PIN, which has 10 thousand combinations.
Always lock your device when you're not using it. Use a PIN, password, or fingerprint/face id. This will make it harder for an attacker to exploit a device if it is left unlocked, lost or stolen. Set your device to auto lock after a period of inactivity, to help prevent misuse if you have to leave it unattended.
This helps prevent others from viewing or using your device when you're not around.
Also, locked phones prevent theft. Unlocked phones are more likely to be sold illegally or used overseas with different carriers. Verizon locks its new phones as a security precaution. (Users can unlock them; more on that below.)
When it's locked, your phone can't be opened without either the passcode, a face scan, or a fingerprint. If you lose your phone or someone snatches it from you, you can rest assured they won't be able to do anything with it.
How many times does someone check their phone a day in 2022? The average American checks their phone 96 times per day, or once every ten to 12 minutes. Though, we actually touch our phones up to 2,617 times per day and unlock our phones 150 times on average. That's a lot.
When you buy a locked iPhone from your carrier, it usually only comes with the antennas that your specific carrier uses to transmit its signal. And different carriers transmit different signals. So, let's say you get an iPhone from Verizon, unlock it yourself, and then try to use it on T-Mobile: it probably won't work.
Activation Lock helps you keep your device secure, even if it's in the wrong hands, and can improve your chances of recovering it. Even if you erase your device remotely, Activation Lock can continue to deter anyone from reactivating your device without your permission.
Information Technology has a set the standard for screen lock out which is 10 minutes.
A PIN can often be guessed with a little bit of information about the target, or it can even be “shoulder surfed” by someone standing behind you and watching you input it. A fingerprint can't. A longer PIN can be safer, but it's also a lot harder to remember.
44% of Android device users start their pattern from the top-left corner of the first dot. Most Android lock screen pattern users use less than 5 dots and a significant percentage of them use only 4 dots. 10% of lock screen patterns are drawn with the shape of an alphabet, which mostly represents the owners initially.
Use a pin, password or pattern to lock your phone
Setting this up is easy. For most Android™ devices, go to your Location & Security Settingsfor instructions. iOS users can find these functions in the General options of their settings.
Teens are more likely to become addicted to cell phones than any other age group. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, adolescents under 20 years old are the most at-risk for cell phone addiction because this age group is more likely to experience behavioral problems.
The Sonim XP3300 Force is officially the 'World's Toughest Phone' – securing its entry into the Guinness World Records™ hall of fame. The ultra-rugged phone survived an extreme drop test from a remarkable 25 metres onto concrete without operational damage – a drop higher than a ten-story building.
Cat S61: The All Around Most Durable Smartphone
Waterproof, sand-proof, and guaranteed to withstand a six-foot drop onto concrete, the Cat S61 ranks no. 1 on DigitalTrends' list of most durable smartphones.
Unlocked smartphones usually have higher resale values than locked devices, but you may not have access to every network feature that a locked phone might have, such as HD voice or Wi-Fi calling. The carrier you decide to use may not guarantee that their data or voice network will work perfectly on your specific phone.
Another disadvantage of buying unlocked is that certain phones don't support specific network bands. This can be complicated for buyers who don't know all about the differences between types of networks (CDMA vs GSM, for example) or which bands their carrier predominantly uses in their area.
According to the claims of major U.S. wireless carriers, unlocking a phone bought after January 26 without your carrier's permission violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) whether the phone is under contract or not. In a way, this is not as bad as it sounds.