The phone monitoring and tracking industry has evolved significantly with the advent of modern technology and cutting-edge techniques. Developers have access to more powerful libraries and frameworks to work with, so they can create apps and solutions that are much more powerful than we ever imagined.
Initially, the monitoring industry was quite stagnant in terms of advancement and revolution. Monitoring apps of yesteryear were so rudimentary as they could only perform basic functions such as reading messages, call logs, contact names, etc.
But as technology kept improving, these apps implemented advanced features such as tracking location, reading web history off of any phone browser, capturing phone data, and viewing gallery photos and videos.
They can also capture screenshots, turn on the mic remotely, and even control the phone. So the potential of phone tracking apps is quite substantial, to say the least.
Phone Tracking Apps Are Making a Comeback
Apps for remote monitoring have long started to make a comeback, ever since people discovered their potential. More companies are using this unique technology due to cutting-edge advancements like facial recognition systems, remote attendance markers, Wi-Fi packet sniffers, and more.
And the best part is, phone tracker apps do not have to rely on some new data source or newly created coding technique or algorithm. Most specialized remote monitoring tools scrape data off of Google Maps to make use of features like location tracking, which are simple enough to monitor without the need for new code implementations.
It is because these apps can utilize this data to obtain a history of the user’s location. By logging into the user’s Google account, they could also obtain the user’s current location without any hassles and with no extra computational stress or execution loading.
Even individuals using third-party apps to share their current positions with others via the Google Maps app using the location-sharing feature can have their data monitored by these apps. They would extract this data without interrupting the normal functionality of phone services.
Despite having end-to-end encryption, even the majority of instant messaging programs can now be tracked by advanced monitoring apps. For instance, messages exchanged on different instant messaging apps can be tracked easily and in complete stealth mode through the use of screenshot capturing, which is now built into many new spy apps.
These apps can also order the operating system to access third-party sessions, read instant messages cached by the browser, and extract cookies from websites to obtain browser session data.
Therefore, the easy integration, advanced capabilities, and low barrier to entry make acquiring a remote monitoring program quite enticing.
Why are Phone Tracking Apps Making a Comeback?
Technology innovation also leads to improvements in cybersecurity practices. As technology advances, so does the need for improved security and privacy measures in phone monitoring and tracking.
1.  Companies Demand More Security
Developers have focused on enhancing encryption protocols, implementing robust security features, and ensuring data privacy. These measures aim to protect the information being monitored and prevent unauthorized access. This results in hackers getting desperate.
They now find it more difficult to penetrate system security because of these security implementations and operating system updates. Additionally, the latest smartphone releases even notify you when an app asks for unnecessary permissions or records a call.
This makes users even more circumspect than they already were and less likely to fall into the traps laid by conventional monitoring programs. Because most of us are already familiar with how they operate, the improvements in technology feel more necessary than ever because advanced monitoring apps would not alert hackers.
This is great news because conventional monitoring apps would fail when all of us are already on the edge because of how common cyberattacks have gotten over the last few years.
2.  Monitoring Apps Now Support Multiple Systems
And as hackers target large organizations and systems, many spy app developers have changed their code to incorporate system-dependent cyberspaces. They are now beginning to provide innovative solutions for cyber threats that include support for computer devices, including both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Additionally, computers accept a wider range of data formats than smartphones and tablets do since they are more versatile and powerful. Plus, they support additional data systems such as cloud technology, databases, and CDs.
This makes them vulnerable to malicious code that can spread through a system using executable files and un-updated applications. To make their spy apps compatible with various data types and to protect different networks, app developers are improving their code, resulting in spying apps improving in terms of capability and compatibility.
3.  Remote Work Has Become the New Norm
Another reason why monitoring apps have seen improvement and a rise in popularity is because of remote work. Since the majority of workers now prefer to work from home, data protection has become a bigger problem. The average home network is far less secure than an office network and desktop computer.
Remote workers have to rely on an inherently unprotected Wi-Fi connection. Thus, giving cybercriminals quick and easy access to sensitive corporate records, emails, and trade secrets by breaking into a home network.
Additionally, home computers are typically not password-protected because they are intended for use by the entire family. It implies that other family members might read and even erase confidential business data.
Businesses are now scurrying and frantically trying to secure the management of their employees’ data. To make sure their data is not treated improperly, they have once again turned to remote monitoring tools.
4.  Monitoring Apps Offer More Control Than Other Technologies
Previous iterations of employee tracking apps gave users little control over how they used them. But now that monitoring apps provide unlimited control, companies relying on monitoring solutions have imploded.
Plus, existing measures like facial recognition software are failing miserably. Despite being a sophisticated piece of technology, facial recognition systems are cumbersome to use because of how they are executed.
Many firms demand that remote employees remain in front of the camera at all times. The facial recognition system will transmit false alerts if you make even the slightest movement away from the camera. So they don’t provide the same reliability level as monitoring apps.
Whereas, most monitoring apps can turn on the mic remotely, turn on the camera, and even control the phone. This makes it so employers know their remote workers’ every move.
5.  Machine Learning and AI Have Improved Monitoring Apps
And through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, phone monitoring and tracking apps have significantly improved. AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of data and identify patterns or anomalies, providing app developers with valuable insights and patterns to improve their products.
ML algorithms can adapt and improve over time, making monitoring software more effective and accurate. These technologies fail when it comes to other software, such as facial recognition, because the data set is practically non-existent.
The Future of the Monitoring Industry
As developers will have access to more powerful libraries and frameworks to work with, monitoring apps’ reliability and functionality will only get better with time. Plus, In the current business environment, data breaches, IP theft, and cybercrime are far too prevalent.
Remote monitoring software has been giving businesses the means to mitigate this risk by preventing data loss, detecting insider threats, protecting intellectual property, and providing other cybersecurity advantages.
We just need to take ethical implications, legal frameworks, and consent into account to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations to ensure a better future for all.