The Truth Behind: Can Apps Track Your Location?

Technological development has a strong impact on our daily routine. Nowadays, millions own phones and thoroughly transmit their offline lives into the virtual dimension. Nevertheless, many users have not yet realized the extent of information their phones know and store.

Can an app track your location discretely and what should users do to protect their privacy and secure personal information? Follow our guide to delve into the phone activity hidden from the user’s eyes.

Understanding Location Tracking: How Do Apps Track Your Location

Modern phones have plenty of inbuilt applications and the ones installed from external sources. They usually provide users with relevant personalized information only. This is because they aspire to cover a wider range of audience, including the most fastidious ones. But how could they do this? 

At their core, applications track one’s location so as to identify the country, city, and more precise location details related to the phone’s owner. Location tracking technologies implemented into the apps’ architectures employ GPS (Global Positioning System). Via the network of satellites, receivers, and servers, GPS makes it possible for devices to calculate accurate coordinates. Hence, it may pinpoint the location and share it with other channels. 

Moreover, GPS is not the only technology that forms location-tracking capabilities. There also exist Wi-Fi and Cellular networks. They help the apps’ systems estimate one’s location based on the signal strength and its travel time.

Note that positioning via Cellular networks is not so precise. However, this can still be used in combination with other technologies to make it impressively accurate. 

All in all, applications typically depend on these technologies, i.e., signal reception and transmission time, in general. The developers usually know how to build a location-tracking app, which definitely makes sense. Thus, they make these apps effective by Cellular networks, Wi-Fi, and GPS used altogether. 

Which Apps Can Track One’s Location?

Many users are curious about what apps track location history, real-time whereabouts, and other location-related activities. In reality, the majority of applications you use have the capability to track such information and store it for a while. Now, let us see which apps specifically have the capability to track a user's location through their phones.

Social Media Apps

Such social networks as Facebook and Twitter often request access to precise locations for geotagging and location-based recommendations. It is usually done to improve the user experience, analyze the statistics, and create personalized content.

Online Maps

Most mobile devices have mapping applications, such as Google Maps and Apps Maps, installed by default. To enable real-time navigation and location-based search, the app needs access to the phone’s location. These are essential tools for average users, travelers, elderly members of families, children, and drivers, too. 

Weather Apps

Along with various inbuilt mobile apps, weather software is the most popular, though people do not recognize it. When going out, users unconsciously reach for their phones to check the weather forecast. These apps also track the phone’s location, connect with the local weather services, and provide relevant information for the user’s convenience.  

Fitness and Health Apps

For people who train, count calories, or simply control their health, these apps are essential and facilitate effective phone usage. Nike Run Club, Fitbit, Apple Health, and similar utilize location information to monitor users’ activity, calculate their routes, and estimate time. Sometimes, it is better to keep everything on the phone rather than rely on one’s cognitive capabilities. 

Food Delivery and Taxi Apps

Famous services for hailing rides or food delivery like Uber/Uber Eats should track the precise location and request additional information about the user’s address to function correctly. Moreover, these apps usually provide the most up-to-date data concerning the status of the ride or delivery.

Online Shopping Apps

In order to calculate the delivery details and provide personalized offers and location-specific discounts, online shopping apps necessarily ask for access to the precise location or require one to fill in the address. Otherwise, Without this information, these apps are unable to fulfill their intended functions effectively.

Car Tracking Apps and Software for Car Sharing

In the present day, car tracking apps and software designed for car sharing have gained immense popularity.  They track the exact location of any type of vehicle in real time. Therefore, they require constant access to the locations of the phone owner and a vehicle simultaneously. 

Mobile Payment Services

Can cash apps track your location? As well as other applications, mobile payment services like PayPal and Google Pay monitor users’ whereabouts. This helps users easily control their finances, find ATMs right in the app, and manage banking data. In some cases, these apps may impose location-based restrictions, so consider using VPNs if needed.

Family Safety Apps

Applications designed for family members tracking, child monitoring, and general safety offer a convenient solution as they balance between explicit tracking and additional features. One such app is Phone Locator which is the best app for mobile number location tracker.

Phone Locator is a non-traditional location-sharing application. It provides users with the most advanced technologies, including AI-powered assistance and emergency support. Besides, its focus on location privacy is impressive. The company does not sell or share sensitive data with external resources. 

Its intuitive interface grants an opportunity for different types of users to try the application’s features and enjoy communication with their loved ones with just one click. If one needs to find someone's location using just their phone number, Phone Locator may help as it offers the “Request by number” feature. 

Tips to Protect Your Location Privacy

However reliable these services may seem, data leaks are regrettably not rare. Convenient for users on the surface, the apps raise questions about user consent and monitoring by third-party companies. So as to ensure your safety, please, take into consideration the following: 

1. Regularly review app permissions: Stay alert by regularly checking and adjusting the permissions granted to apps on your device. This may help to avoid unauthorized access to your location data and other personal details.

2. Use location-tracking services reasonably: Avoid overusing location-tracking services without necessity. By limiting their usage, you also minimize the amount of data collected about the phone's owner. Moreover, this can also reduce the risk of privacy breaches.

3. Opt for minimal location sharing: When using apps that require location sharing, opt for minimal sharing whenever possible.  Share your location with trusted contacts only or when absolutely necessary to minimize the exposure of your personal information.

4. Customize your privacy settings: Take advantage of privacy settings offered by apps and your device's operating system to tailor your privacy preferences. Configure the phone's settings to decide who can access your location data and other sensitive information and who cannot.

5. Update your apps and device regularly: Ensure that both your apps and device operating system are up to date. The latest security patches and updates may protect the device from unexpected failures and potential security threats.

6. Be cautious of public Wi-Fi networks: Avoid connecting to unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks.  These networks can be responsive to hacking and interception of your data. Instead, use trusted and secure Wi-Fi networks or consider using your mobile data connection for added security.

Location sharing is a usual process that most people stay unaware of. Nonetheless, it is the subject of much debate. Some applications confuse their clients and gain access to the location information unnoticed. This is why it is always important to appeal to verified apps only.