Avira releases Free Android Security 3

Like PCs, Android phones and tablets are susceptible to all kinds of security threats. Thankfully there’s a rich choice of free protection out there, and Avira hopes to woo Android users across to its offering with the release of Avira Free Android Security 3.0.

The app, which offers protection from malicious apps, theft and unwanted calls, boasts a complete redesign with the release of version 3, which includes optimizations for those using the app on 7-inch tablets.

The new release also boasts a number of new features. The first of these is support for profile names and photos. These allow users to add their own name and picture to their Avira Online Essentials account.

Users can now see instant status updates on the console, with "Protected" or "Action Required" making it easy to see if additional steps are required to secure their device.

The Remote Scream function -- which can be used to track down a lost (or recently stolen) device by remotely instructing it to emit a sound -- has been renamed to Remote Yell, while users can now test both this feature and the Locate anti-theft features can be tested from within the app itself.

Version 3.0 also simplifies the blacklist used to block unwanted calls, but removing the filters function and making it faster and simpler to easily clear blocked events.

Other changes include the on-demand antivirus scan showing a precise figure (as a percentage) of progress completed. The Google Cloud Messaging sync mechanism has now also been tweaked so it runs fully in the background.

The update is rounded off with one notable bug fix, which allows the VDF/engine update process to continue even if the process is interrupted.

Avira Free Android Security 3.0 is available now as a free download for Android devices running 2.2 or later (tablets must be running Android 4.0 or later).