The Smart Architecture Behind Cell Phone Trackers

A Phone tracker or other GPS-based services are so common nowadays that we do not think too much of them, they’re just there. Those old enough to remember, though, can recall the early days of GPS, how it awed us and how it was an expensive service to avail. Before GPS became ‘mainstream’, only law enforcement and some government agencies had the capability to triangulate a phone location.

What is GPS?

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based navigation system that uses a network of strategically positioned satellites that provide 3-D location data to GPS receivers on Earth. These satellites are maintained by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) because they were originally developed exclusively for military applications only. In the 1980s, the U.S. Government decided to allow the positioning system to be made available to civilians, albeit with limited capabilities. Since then, restrictions have gradually been eased, resulting not only in improved connectivity and accuracy but in availability to more people as well. Now, with all the improvements over the years, GPS is available for anyone to use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How Does GPS Work?

The GPS Network, or constellation, in space, is composed of at least 24 satellites traveling in a very specific orbit, equidistant to each other. Their spacing ensures that receivers are in communication with at least 4 satellites at all times, allowing for the best accuracy when trying to pinpoint a location. 

Since these satellites have varying distances from the receiver, the signals being sent to each satellite will reach it at varying times. By reading the differences across the satellites, the GPS Network can provide a fairly accurate location of the specific receiver.

How Accurate is GPS?

Technological advancements in GPS receivers have greatly improved the accuracy of its location services. From an accuracy of a few hundred feet of the actual target, today’s GPS devices can pinpoint a location up to within 50 feet. While there are still factors that can affect the accuracy of GPS tracking like atmospheric delays and satellite geometry, the growth has been exponential and we may soon have systems that can be even more accurate.

How is GPS used in a Phone Tracker app?

Are you wondering how to put a tracker on a phone? You don’t need to worry about this. Probably all the modern smartphones have a GPS receiver already built into them. This hardware operates the same way as all other consumer GPS devices in that it depends on the relay of the GPS from the phone, to a satellite, and back, to determine its location. The more satellites it is able to communicate with, the better the chances of getting accurate results.

If the location services of your phone are turned on, then the phone automatically and periodically sends signals to the GPS satellites, allowing it to determine its location at all times. So when it comes to tracking a phone using an app, the bulk of the work is already done. All the app has to do now is to relay that information to the one that is requesting it. This transmission can be done over SMS, WiFi, or any other mode of data transfer. This process is the same whether you are using your Operating Systems’ native location and tracking apps like Apple’s Find My iPhone, or Samsung’s Find My Mobile, or if you are using a third-party app.

Track a Cell Phone with Third-Party Apps

If you find built-in tracking apps a bit lacking in features, another, and maybe even better, option for tracking a cell phone is to use third-party apps. Once installed on the target phone, these applications use the same GPS technology as the ones that the manufacturer apps are using. The big difference is that it can provide a whole lot more information than just a location. 

Aside from providing location data, smartphone tracking and monitoring apps are programs that allow you to view the contents of someone else’s phone, either from a computer or from your own phone. These programs gather information from the target phone and keep them in secure servers that are only accessible to you. Aside from data access, these apps can also give you a certain level of control over the phone you are monitoring. You can prevent apps from being installed if you think they are harmful. You can also block the user from visiting inappropriate websites. 

 While there are free phone tracker apps out there, it’s the premium apps that can provide you with the best service. And with so many phone tracker apps to choose from, allow us to share with you two of the best when it comes to additional features, simplicity, and value.

Auto Forward

Probably the most feature-packed out of all the phone finder apps out there, Auto Forward was introduced in 2012 and has been consistently among the top purchased spy apps ever since. The key feature of this app is that it works in the background and the data recovered is uploaded to your control panel discreetly. All the popular features common in other spy apps can also be found in Auto Forward: Browser history tracking, recording phone calls, and SMS logs, and even remote viewing and listening through the phone’s camera and microphone is possible. This will allow you to monitor and track your phone even long after it has left your hands.

One of the biggest selling points of Auto Forward is its low price point. For a one-time fee of only $29.99, you can have the full suite of Auto Forward features at your disposal. There are no more subsequent monthly fees and your purchase already includes lifetime upgrades.

Highster Mobile 

Highster Mobile is one of the earliest phone tracking apps released on the market. Released in 2007, this long-standing company has maintained its status as one of the best phone monitoring apps by keeping up with the times and continuously updating its software and incorporating the latest security features.

This powerful phone tracking app has the ability to monitor nearly all online activities of a phone. Emails, browser activity, and even social media monitoring is possible. This way, you can be updated if a thief has gone online using your phone.

This app also has state-of-the-art GPS triangulation that gives regular updates, allowing you to keep track of your phone with an accuracy of up to within 50 feet of its current location.

Highster Mobile has been downloaded over a million times, and with the capability to find both iPhone and Android devices, you simply can’t go wrong with Highster Mobile.

With advanced monitoring features paired up with current GPS technology, Cell Phone Tracking apps are truly modern-day wonders.

FAQs:

Can I install phone tracker apps on a phone remotely?

No, it is not possible to remotely install phone tracking software on a target phone.

How to Find My iPhone?

1. Install the “Find My iPhone” app on a different Apple device. 
2. Enter your Apple ID and password associated with the lost iPhone. 
3. Launch the “Find My iPhone” app.
4. Select the “Devices” menu button to display a listing of all of the devices associated with the Apple ID.
5. View the location of the missing iPhone on the map.

Are Phone Tracking Apps legal in the USA?

If the target user is not a minor, you need the consent of the owner before monitoring them. If the user is your child and a minor, then you can track them without consent.