Is a smartphone antivirus needed?

Almost all of us use an antivirus on our laptop or PC. And why not? With the numbers of attacks happening every day, like the recent Wannacry Ransomware, it is logical to do so. 
But phones and laptops are different, right? Do the antiviruses work on these too? Let's get directly to the point.

The answer is 'NO.' You do not need an anti-virus application to keep you secure. The anti-virus of your system is YOU. If you ask me which software do I use? I use my brain. That is the best line of security in today's times.

Android OS(As majority of the users are concerned about Android) is based on the Linux Kernel. It is not very easy for an application to affect your device. There are tips you need to keep in mind and there you go- Safe and Secure.

1. Google Play Store has a multiple line of security checks before an application even debuts on the Store. So the chance of a malicious app making to the app store is negligible and by any means, if the application does reach the app store, Google keeps a track and will take down the app as soon as possible. Even if you become one of the unlucky people to have downloaded the application, you will be alerted.
2. If you are downloading the application from the official store, you are most probably secure. If you need to download an application that does not exist in the Play Store, try to go for the reputed App stores like Amazon App Store or APKMirror, otherwise, avoid downloading it and look for better alternatives.
3. You might have seen a lot of pop-ups saying that your phone is insecure, slow, blah-blah-blah, IGNORE it. Simple as that. If at all, you accidentally clicked and something got downloaded, do not install it. Your phone will not get affected by a third-party application unless installed.
4. Permissions- There are a lot of permissions that an application asks before it gets installed. DO READ IT. It is really important. Keep a check on the ratings and reviews of the app. It says a lot about it. For more details on Android Permissions, check here.
5. KEEP YOUR PHONE UPDATED. Self-explanatory.

You can also read: Battery-Savers- All you need to know!

So why are there so many anti-virus applications in the App Store?

BRUTE-FORCE marketing. The smartphone market is a very big market and Anti-Viruses are a grey area. So, why not use a familiar concept, and push it down here? Trust me, if they are installed, that's just a chunk of memory wasted off your phone. All the different 100 notifications that you get about the phone being slow and affected by threats, they are mostly useless. Most of them perform functions as junk deletion and RAM clearing. They are just to SCARE you.

Bottom Line:

As soon as you enter the world of Internet, YOU are a susceptible target and the best line of security is YOU. As long as you keep the tips in mind, no one can touch you (virtually). As for the antivirus apps, there is really no need to have them installed. Nevertheless, if you still opt to install one, do not buy a paid one. A free alternative will do the same trick (PS- Don't).