I keep a sharp eye out for smartphone statistics, it’s a habit that’s crept up on me over the last couple of years of working at NetSafe as we try and keep pace with modern web trends including just what kind of devices people are using to go online.

Last week’s IDC figures in the NBR suggested that “smartphone ownership by households has jumped significantly from 13% in 2011 to around 44% in 2012.” That’s some massive growth over 12 months.

And just at the time when the debate about Australia being the place to head for fame and fortune rears it head again (confession: I have yet to watch The GC), those cheeky cobbers over the ditch publish another factoid (using Google data) that would suggest they do indeed have more money than their NZ cousins:

• In New Zealand, iPhone owners made up 32% of the survey pool
  In Australia, the iPhone holds a 49% market share of respondents
• In NZ, Android powers 41% of mobiles used by those taking the Google survey
  In Australia, Android lags behind with just 25% share

See full data tables at http://www.ourmobileplanet.com/en/downloads/

What does this suggest?

Well it could just be the luck of the draw when it came to selecting the 1000 talkative survey takers. I have a feeling though it could be either a). Aussies are happier about and have more money to shell out $1000 on an iPhone or b) the market size impacting on pricing where telcos can negotiate discounts on Apple products for a potential customer base some 6 times the NZ size.

Why does NetSafe care?

Well for one, mobile malware has been trumpeted for some time as the next big computer security threat. And whilst I wouldn’t propose to support the security standards of one hardware vendor over another (witness the recent revelations over Flashback and Java vulnerabilities on OS X) it’s hard to ignore the tweets from #AusCert2012 speaker Mikko Hypponen:

If 75% of mobile malware currently targets Android, that theoretically puts more people in NZ at risk than Oz.

You can buy an Android smartphone now for a little over $150 which puts it in reach of many people who aren’t earning mining wages and may not yet equate the device with being a pocket computer that needs to be protected and operated with as much care as your desktop or laptop machine.

The message therefore needs to be: invest some time setting up a password or swipe pattern, install an app or software that let’s you scan for malware and lock, wipe or find the device should it get lost or stolen. And apply those anti-spam and anti-phishing techniques you use on a bigger machine to the smaller sibling – don’t click on shortened links or send login details via unencrypted (non-https) connections.

In short, treat your smartphone, especially if it’s on contract, as a direct connection to your bank balance and a whole heap of personal data and stay alert to what’s yet to come in 2012.

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