FollowAs our phone now become more and more sophisticated, the phone manufactured nowadays are equipped with GPS technology in which allows you to track a phone in real time. In this article, we will list down on the several methods on how to track a phone.
GPS Technology
The technology of tracking a phone revolves around the GPS chips that is embedded in your phone and also cell tower triangulation. Almost all smartphones have this GPS and therefore allows it to have some applications that helps you find your way such as Papago, Waze and etc. GPS or Global Positioning System is made up of a network of 24 satellites placed in the orbit by the U.S Department of Defense. It is a satellite-based navigation system and was originally developed for military purposes.
The GPS satellites orbits the earth twice a day and interact with the GPS receiver embedded in your smartphones. The GPS satellite will use triangulation method to calculate and measure the user’s location based on the GPS receiver in your phone.This GPS technology allows the satellite and also network tower to pinpoint your location accurately as your phone continuously sending information on its location whereabouts to the GPS satellite.
First of all, you need to know what type of phone you have. If it is smartphone, it is much easier to track as almost all smartphones has GPS chip embedded into the phone and therefore allows it to be track via satellite and also communication tower.
Tracking non smartphone
However, if it is a non-smartphone, it can still be tracked as we have mentioned in this article how to track a non-smartphone. This is because a cell phone is basically an advanced two way radio in which communication are made via cell towers. These cell towers are within a network of cell towers which its main function is send and receive the radio signals emitting from your phone.
Your cell phone is basically transmitting radio signal to the nearest cell tower. The closer your phone to a cell tower, the stronger the signal that is emitted. So, by measuring the signal strength and also through triangulation method with other cell tower; that is by measuring how strong or weak signal emitted by your phone, your phone location can be pinpointed almost accurately. However, there are some disadvantages to this technique as big buildings or trees can affect the signal and therefore effect the signal strength.
Tracking phone with Apps
If ten years ago you lose your phone, the chance of tracking and retrieving it back is very much slim. All you can hope for is to call your phone number using a payphone and hope someone picks it up on the other side. However, if your phone was stolen, the slimmer the chance that somebody will pick it up at the other side. And ten years ago, your phone cost less than $500 and the only data that you have in the phone is your contact address, phone number and pictures.
Fast forward to the current digital age, almost all phone users are now using smartphones. This smartphones are installed with applications as well as a lot of important data are in the phone. It is almost twice expensive as it was used to be. Therefore, it is critical for any users to be able to track their phone and retrieve it back once it is lost. All you need sometimes your phone’s IMEI number. You can use IMEI to track your phone by giving the IMEI number to your network operator to scan and locate your phone.
However, as phones are getting smarter, more data and information can be stored in the phone. Apps are a must for every smartphones and this Apps can have many functions depending on the interest of the users. Apps are also been created for security of the smartphones as well as for tracking the phone if the phone got lost. There are numerous available Apps in the market such as SeekDroid, Find My Droid, Predator and many more. Each of this Apps have its own unique specifications and advantages.
iPhone even have a pre-installed app that is called Find iPhone that can instantly tracked the whereabouts of your phone. This shows that this feature of tracking your phone is getting critically important. Each Apps are designed for it to be able to transmit the location of your phone in which you can access through a computer or other phone. It uses GPS technology and therefore you can track your phone as long as it is on and connected to a network operator.
As a conclusion, smartphones has become a necessity in this modern age of web 3.0. As the device become more important to our daily lives, the ability to track it once it got lost will become more and more critical as many valuable data will be in the smartphones. The data that was lost sometimes outweigh the price of the smartphones and for that reason alone, people will try to track their phone in many means as possible.
