A smartphone is not just a phone anymore.  It’s now a mobile device that performs many tasks, making it a rather essential item in our everyday lives.  Now that mobile phones are becoming a dominant computing platform, protecting them from threats is becoming a lot more important as more cyber attacks are emerging on both the Android and iOS platforms.

San Francisco-based Lookout Mobile, which makes security software for smartphones such as Android mobile devices, now debuts its first apps for iPhone users.  Starting this week, Lookout’s iPhone app will be available for free download via the Apple App Store.

With the iPhone version you’ll get much of the same features offered to Android users. The app is designed in such a way to help locate your lost or stolen phone on a map, or it can sound an alarm to help you locate it.  Through the easy-to-use customization steps, Lookout protects your privacy and blocks unsecured WiFi networks as well.

Lookout reportedly protects more than 12 million Android smartphone and tablet users from malware, spyware and identity theft attempts.  It also backs up personal data over the cloud and can quickly locate a lost or stolen phone. The Lookout app is powered by Lookout’s cloud-based Mobile Threat Network, which analyzes global threats and quickly blocks them with over-the-air updates to smartphones.

The rise in Android malware has led to significant advancements for mobile security, Lookout being a leader in this space.  Just last week we saw Android’s fake Netflix App as the latest example to hit the mobile scene, while a string of security app launches for the enterprise sector continue to remind us of the growing concern over mobile security.

There’s been a 42 percent increase in mobile threats over the past two years, as the popularity of mobile devices attracts cyber attackers to a new playing field.   The most commanding threat is from mobile banking from apps like Google Wallet and mobile banking on the iPhone.

Various Security firms are now providing solutions to mobile security threats. McAfee just revealed the Enterprise Mobility Management solution to protect data from malware.  It’s a certain time of opportunity for cyber attackers and security software makers alike.