Track iPhone: 3 More Ways to Locate Your iOS Device

Tracking Mobile Devices: Beyond Find My iPhone

Upon learning of the shipment of my new 4G iPad, I began researching more effective methods for monitoring the location of my mobile devices.

Currently, I rely on Find My iPhone, a service utilized by both my wife and myself to determine each other’s whereabouts, whether anticipating arrival times or coordinating meetups.

Limitations of Find My iPhone for Multiple Devices

While Find My iPhone excels in scenarios such as an iPhone being stolen – offering remote locking, audible alerts, messaging capabilities, and data wiping – it presents challenges for everyday use with numerous devices or user profiles.

Accessing another person's iCloud account is a prerequisite, which may not be agreeable to family members.

Managing multiple passwords can become cumbersome, and the interface only allows tracking of a single device or user at a time.

Exploring Alternatives for Comprehensive Tracking

For individuals needing to monitor several devices concurrently, a more streamlined solution is necessary.

The limitations of relying solely on Find My iPhone become apparent when managing a household with multiple smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices.

A dedicated multi-device tracking system offers a more practical approach to maintaining awareness of device locations without compromising user privacy or password security.

Locating Connections with Find My Friends

Despite often being dismissed by iPhone users as a pre-installed, underutilized Apple application, Find My Friends [iTunes link] provides a robust method for monitoring the locations of trusted contacts. Account access sharing isn't necessary, though it's important to note that individuals can easily deactivate location sharing, potentially limiting its usefulness in certain scenarios, such as family monitoring.

The Find My Friends application distinguishes itself from a basic Find My iPhone extension through several valuable functionalities.

Direct links are provided for initiating messages, FaceTime calls, or obtaining directions to a friend’s current location.
The app facilitates the simultaneous display of all your friends on a single map – a useful feature for spontaneous gatherings, though its practical application may be limited.

Upon initial launch, the application necessitates logging into a personal iCloud account, addressing concerns about potential tracking of a stolen device by an unauthorized individual who might also be monitoring family members.

Security is a key consideration when utilizing location-sharing apps.

Sosumi: A Desktop Solution for Locating Your iPhones

Sosumi, deriving its name from the standard alert sound on OS7, is a complimentary and openly accessible desktop application designed for monitoring several accounts and devices simultaneously. The application securely stores your credentials, requiring iCloud account authorization only once.

While it doesn't incorporate advanced social functionalities such as FaceTime integration, Sosumi allows you to dispatch a message accompanied by an optional alarm. Remote device shutdown or locking capabilities, however, remain exclusive to Apple’s native Find My iPhone service.

A particularly useful feature distinguishing Sosumi is the supplementary device status details it provides. This includes information like the device model, its current charging state, and remaining battery level.

Key Features of Sosumi

Tracks multiple Apple accounts.
Supports monitoring of numerous devices.
Remembers iCloud passwords for convenient access.
Enables sending messages with alarm options.
Displays detailed device status information.

The application’s ability to display charging status and battery level offers a significant advantage for users seeking comprehensive device oversight. This information isn't consistently available in other tracking solutions.

Sosumi provides a streamlined experience for locating your devices, focusing on core functionality and ease of use. It serves as a valuable alternative or supplement to the built-in Find My features.

Life 360

A comprehensive review covering the full scope of the Life 360 application, including its premium functionalities, will be presented subsequently. However, regarding fundamental family location tracking, this represents a superb – and importantly, free – solution. Furthermore, a web-based application is also available.

Compatibility extends to both Android and iOS platforms, potentially making it the definitive choice for many users.

In contrast to the other two methods discussed, which are exclusive to Apple devices, this solution does not necessitate an iCloud account. A dedicated Life 360 account must be created instead.

Considerations for Use

It’s important to note that continuous operation of location services is required for the app to function. This persistent tracking can lead to a noticeable reduction in battery life.

Background tracking can be disabled, but doing so limits functionality. Users will then need to either request a location status update from a family member ("James wants to know if you are safe") or have the family member manually check in upon arrival at a destination with a single tap.

Users in the United Kingdom should be aware that this application is primarily designed for a US audience.

The app includes information regarding registered sex offenders, which may result in inaccurate alerts due to matching based solely on street address.

Family Location Tracking: A Comparison

Within my household, comprised entirely of Apple users, the Find My application proves sufficient for monitoring the locations of my spouse and myself. The companion Sosumi desktop application also provides a convenient means of device tracking.

However, Life 360 presents a significantly broader range of features dedicated to enhancing family safety and awareness.

Further Evaluation

A comprehensive review detailing the advanced capabilities of Life 360 is forthcoming. Alternatively, users can directly download the application to experience its functionality firsthand.

We are interested in hearing from our audience regarding their preferred applications for iOS device tracking.

Please share your experiences and the reasons behind your choices in the comments section below.