At an event in New Delhi, India's largest handset maker Micromax announced that it would pre-install the Intel-owned McAfee Mobile Assistant on all of its future phones. All handsets sold after April 2017 will have the security app pre-installed, and Micromax will deliver an OTA update to bring the app to older devices. Intel has already partnered with Lenovo in India to offer its security app, and today's deal brings McAfee's security suite to tens of millions of new phones.
Intel Security Group's SVP Christopher Young was at the event to talk about the significance of the deal:
With smartphones becoming an integral part of our connected lives, it is important consumers realize threats that exist in the digital world and understand how to safeguard their valued data. Intel Security is focused on championing cybersecurity and we believe in protecting every device. Globally we have secured over 220 million users. The partnership with Micromax is another step forward in realizing our vision of being the #1 security partner of choice.
The partnership could turn out to be beneficial to Micromax customers. Indian users are generally unwilling to pay for content, opting instead to pirate apps and games. It isn't hard to see then that the country often leads the global malware charts. But with digital wallets and fintech services gaining momentum, the malware situation is only going to get worse, leaving millions of devices vulnerable to attack. At least with McAfee's security suite installed, there's an added line of defense.
