You are about to find out why mobile spy’s undetectability claims don’t protect you from being discovered. We’ll show you the three places on an iPhone where mobile spy can be seen, and why using their app will likely get you found out.
This article shows results of a test we conducted to verify claims by mobile spy that their software cannot be seen anywhere on the target phone while the app is running. We give you the facts so you can come to your own conclusion about which mobile monitoring software—mobile spy or FlexiSPY—was designed around assuring you will never be discovered monitoring a mobile device.
We explain exactly how the tests were carried out using a publicly sold copy of mobile spy installed on an iPhone 4 and a 5s.
We’ll compare the anti-detection effectiveness of both FlexiSPY and mobile spy head-to-head, to demonstrate why FlexiSPY is the best-choice mobile monitoring app for anyone who wants to stay hidden.
mobile spy’s actual claim to invisibility
Looking at screen grab below you can read mobile spy’s own words on their website telling you their software is 100% undetectable. Though “complete stealth” might sound reassuring, there are a few other mobile monitoring red flags on the target phone that will give you away, and which are not mentioned anywhere on the site.
mobile spy claims to operate in “complete stealth”
Yes, mobile spy can accurately claim their app’s icon isn’t seen on the target phone, but they don’t mention other serious discovery risks of any mobile spy app that will invite suspicion and get you found out.
Where To Find mobile spy On An iPhone
Before getting into how we found mobile spy during our test, let’s first discuss some important points about the iPhone’s design. Spyphone developers have to look at these areas carefully if the application is to operate undetected.
First there are the Permissions Settings, and the second is what happens on the target phone based on if it is jailbroken or not. Before installing any mobile monitoring software on an iPhone, you have to get full access to the operating system, this is done by a procedure called “jailbreaking”, so you can install whatever programs you wish.
Later in the article we’ll tell you why jailbreaking a phone is one of the easiest ways to reveal a spyphone app, but for now let’s explore the risks found in Permissions.
How Permissions Defeat Invisibility
When an application that’s running on an iPhone is required to send data, use GPS or open the microphone, it must “ask” permission from the phone’s operating system.
You can see these permission requests in the iPhone Settings menus shown here:
– Settings > Cellular
– Settings > Location Services
– Settings > Microphone
Each menu displays the name of the app which is requesting permissions, something which will quickly reveal that a spy app is running on the iPhone.
Take a look at this screen grab below showing what happened when we activated the ambient listening feature on our copy of mobile spy. The program’s permissions request popped up in the microphone menu, offering a clear sign on the target phone that it is being remotely controlled.
Figure 3- mobile spy asking for microphone permissions and appearing in the microphone menu.
But mobile spy’s invisibility issues don’t stop at the mic.
When mobile spy is asked to locate the target phone, it uses the phone’s GPS, triggering another tell-tale permissions request. The image below of mobile spy appearing in the Location Services menu shows how easily their software reveals itself on the target phone.
As you can see, mobile spy makes itself visible simply by performing routine functions necessary for using some of the app’s most important features.
But as obvious as these undetectability breaches may seem, mobile spy offers an even easier way to uncover its presence on the target phone.
Jailbreaking | The Invisibility Spoiler
mobile spy asks for location services permissions after installation and is then visible in the location services settings menu.
Earlier we told you that it’s necessary to jailbreak an iPhone before installing any new software, and here’s why that’s important to know: when you add any new application to an iPhone, you should be aware of its starting state—either Not yet jailbroken or Already jailbroken.
After you install monitoring software on the target phone you have to be sure that there is no revealing trace of internal changes you have made. One such glaring change occurs whenever you jailbreak a cell phone: an icon called “Cydia” suddenly pops up in the app directory.
So for a spy phone app to remain undetected you need to make sure that:
– No Cydia icon is visible if the target phone was not jailbroken before.
– No Cydia upgrade notifications or suspicious installation packages are displayed if it was already jailbroken
Target Phone Not Jailbroken | Watch For This
When you install spy phone software on a target device that hasn’t been jailbroken before, the sudden appearance of the Cydia icon is likely to arouse suspicion of the app’s presence.
When you install mobile spy, the Cydia icon is at first clearly visible in the app directory, and disappears once the software has been activated. However to access the instructions for doing this you have to open Cydia and search mobile spy’s 47-page user guide.
Already Jailbroken | This Happens
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On an already jailbroken target phone, the Cydia icon will already be a familiar sight and won’t raise any red flags, but the Cydia Upgrade Notification that appears when mobile spy is installed is sure to cause suspicion. And this is what happens when you install mobile spy.
The image below shows the Cydia upgrade listing along with a clearly visible upgrade bubble and a suspicious installation package which is mobile spy that will quickly reveal your monitoring activities.
No matter how many times you upgrade Cydia, that glaring red bubble will never go away. And to completely remove the mobile spy app you just open Cydia and tap Modify and then remove it.
The Facts Tell It | mobile spy Can Be Detected
On their website mobile spy sums up the app’s invisibility in two words: “complete stealth”. But as we found through using the software, this promise does not include protecting you from being discovered.
While mobile spy does allow you to hide the Cydia icon it’s not a very convenient process. And even when Cydia is hidden, other serious stealth threats remain.
mobile spy customers are advised to scrub all traces of Cydia from their target phone, especially suspicious update requests and unremovable notification bubbles.
You can go here to find out how FlexiSPY eradicates all traces of Cydia with just one click.
You may be wondering why there are no FlexiSPY screen shots posted in this article. Not that we have something to hide—we just have nothing to show on this topic. Since FlexiSPY is designed to be invisible everywhere on a target phone, it simply doesn’t show up after being installed.
mobile spy Is Detectable On An iPhone 3 Ways
You—like most folks who want to monitor an iPhone—are doing it to help with a problem, but it will be left unsolved and continue to cause grief if you get discovered. FlexiSPY was conceived and developed with keeping you invisible a top priority. This means your absolute concealment is a core function of our software, literally by design.
So if you’re looking for powerful and reliable iPhone monitoring capabilities plus the proven knowledge you will never be discovered, you can believe promises or benefit from the facts: FlexiSPY keeps you hidden always and everywhere.
This means that this already solves the issue of what to do if the phone was not previously jailbroken before purchasing the spy phone software.
FlexiSPY however remains 100% undetected. We are so confident that it cannot be found on an iPhone after installation that we do not need to advertise that it is completely hidden. But this just goes to show that if you want the best spy phone and you want something 100% undetectable then FlexiSPY is it. It is still the only spy phone software that cannot be found once installed on an iPhone. It also gives you complete power over the visibility of Cydia as well.
Analysis
iPhone spy software will appear in one of three main locations once installed on an iPhone. We show you how to find it even though the software may be advertised as being completely hidden.
Settings > General Location services
It will appear here because the spyphone software needs permission from the operating system to get the device location for you to spy on it. The majority of spy phone software that claim that they are undetectable are usually found here.
When it comes to FlexiSPY vs. mobile spy it was mobile spy that appeared in this menu.
Settings > Cellular
It will appear here because iPhone spy software needs the internet on the phone to upload data to the online account for you to view. This means that there may be times when wifi is not being used to do this. When this happens the phone uses cellular data which is more commonly known as 2G or 3G or 4G. As with location services, the application needs permission from the operating system (iOS) so that the data it collects can be uploaded for you to view. This means it may appear in this menu.
When it comes to FlexiSPY vs. mobile spy neither were listed in this menu.
Settings > Microphone
This is a unique one. Spy phone software will appear here if they use the microphone. This can be for call recording or ambient recording – any feature that uses the microphone. As you know FlexiSPY offers ambient recording for iPhone but still is hidden from this menu.
mobile spy also offer ambient recording and also manage to hide themselves from appearing in this menu.
In terms of FlexiSPY vs. mobile spy spy phone software only has to appear once after it has been installed and already any claims about being undetectable are worthless.
You may be wondering why there are no screenshots with FlexiSPY shown and that is because only mobile spy is visible. When it comes to being undetectable on an iPhone and if you are looking for the best cell phone monitoring software then clearly FlexiSPY rules supreme for providing a great list of features married to software that really is 100% undetectable.
Appendix
We’ve listed below detailed specifications of both FlexiSPY and mobile spy applications used in our test:
The specifications of both FlexiSPY and mobile spy
Stay tuned for further blog pieces as we face-off FlexiSPY against all other major spy phone competitors to show that, when we say FlexiSPY really is the best spy phone software and really is 100% undetectable once installed, we have the evidence to prove it.
You can see how FlexiSPY stacked up against the remaining competitors for software visibility by clicking the links below.