Browsers seem like they’re all one and the same. It’s easy to assume their one function is to serve as a conduit that gets you to the web pages you want to spend time on, but the reality isn’t so simple. Some browsers pose more of a security risk and even a battery drain than others and knowing the worst (and best) browsers to use can help keep your phone and data protected. Tech experts agree: this is the one browser you have to stop using ASAP.
Google Chrome
If you ask a number of tech experts to pick out their least preferred browser, Google Chrome will appear pretty high up on that list.
“After Google Chrome’s latest privacy revelation about data harvesting, millions of consumers are hesitant to use it,” says Marilyn Gaskell, founder and business leader of TruePeopleSearch. “This is why consumers switch to alternative, more secure browsers that do not take personal information. Unfortunately, this data collection poses a serious threat to people’s privacy and has harmed your phone.”
Tech Expert Stephen Curry, CEO of CocoSign, also cites Google Chrome as the browser to keep on your radar.
“Chrome takes up too much RAM on your iPhone when installed compared to other browsers,” Curry says. “However, this storage consumption is only the first phase of Chrome slowing down your iPhone. It gets worse. While most browsers dedicate a fixed amount of RAM space to share amongst all tabs, Chrome dedicates the same RAM amount to each tab. This means that while your browser gets significantly faster, your iPhone considerably slows down.”
Due to this Chrome feature, Curry says running multiple heavy graphic-intensive sites becomes a nightmare for your iPhone's speed. “Chrome also collects the most data linked to a user compared to all other browsers,” Curry says. “It is also the only one that doesn't collect non-user identifying data. Over the years, Google Chrome's privacy policy and use of the user data they collect has been questioned. I recommend the use of Safari for your iPhone browsing. Since it is custom made for iOS, it is lightweight, fast, and secure.”
