App for child location

[Aflaaaak]

We just got our 13 year old his first smartphone (Samsung Galaxy J7 V) for his 13th birthday, and wanted to install a "passive" GPS locator on it to allow us to see where he is in real time. We don't need any fancy "safe" zone alerting app, or something with a lot of features, just something so we can pull up a map on our phones to accurately see where he is when he's late and his phone ringer is off (again!). Needs to work with my LG G4 and my wife's iPhone SE

 

[pkcable]

While there MAY be an app for this, it's probably NOT as good as a service you can probably get with your carrier. I'm not sure if you are in the US, but here some of the carriers offer family location services that you can subscribe to for a low monthly fee.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...s-and-services/family-locator/&token=bawXwRbw - Verizon

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...om/features/secure-family.html&token=-4RaPICi - AT&T

https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-4258 - T-Mobile

https://sprint-locator.safely.com/ - Sprint

 

[chanchan05]

Well, Google Maps.

Go to settings>location sharing>select yourself as the person to share to, and you're good to go.

 

[pkcable]

Do you live in the US?

https://www.androidcentral.com/google-family-link-now-available-all-us-parents-no-invite-required

 

[Aflaaaak]

While there MAY be an app for this, it's probably NOT as good as a service you can probably get with your carrier. I'm not sure if you are in the US, but here some of the carriers offer family location services that you can subscribe to for a low monthly fee.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...s-and-services/family-locator/&token=CbwyZfyC - Verizon

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...om/features/secure-family.html&token=xSPSyX2T - AT&T

https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-4258 - T-Mobile

https://sprint-locator.safely.com/ - Sprint

$10 an month? Thanks for the suggestion, but trying not to give Verizon more money .

 

[Aflaaaak]

Well, Google Maps.

Go to settings>location sharing>select yourself as the person to share to, and you're good to go.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[Aflaaaak]

Do you live in the US?

https://www.androidcentral.com/google-family-link-now-available-all-us-parents-no-invite-required

Thanks...I'm not sure we want something quite as intrusive or controlling at this time. He's a good kid and is pretty responsible so far (except forgetting to turn the ringer on as he leaves school). We'll keep it in mind though, if things change.

 

[dov1978]

Well, Google Maps.

Go to settings>location sharing>select yourself as the person to share to, and you're good to go.

I'll 2nd this. My eldest is just at the age (also 13) where he's tried his luck disappearing from school to miss a class or two that he didn't like but he was caught. I gave him the ultimatum that if he wanted me to continue to pay for his phone each month then he has to share his location with me on Google Maps. He's fine with it and I don't use it to constantly track him but it's there if and when I need it. It's really unobtrusive and it's already there on the phone so no extras required.
Me and my wife also share our locations with it. It's so much easier than her messaging me everyday to ask when she can expect me home to serve dinner lol.

 

[pkcable]

Thanks...I'm not sure we want something quite as intrusive or controlling at this time. He's a good kid and is pretty responsible so far (except forgetting to turn the ringer on as he leaves school). We'll keep it in mind though, if things change.

Just saw that blog, figured it was worth a read anyways. Good to have options, BUT as the parents you definitely know what's best.

 

[blaine07]

Cerberus may work good. Has a website you can go to, main app can be hidden from launcher and access via code dialed in dialer. Does location and such. I think their is a one time fee to get premium. It's design is deter theft but doesn't talk to etc and can be set as device admin so can't be removed... As easily.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lsdroid.cerberus

Haven't tried to pull up map on a iOS device but don't see why it wouldn't work.

Or go into maps and permanently share location with your wife and yourself then you could use gmaps to get location

 

[Aflaaaak]

I'll 2nd this. My eldest is just at the age (also 13) where he's tried his luck disappearing from school to miss a class or two that he didn't like but he was caught. I gave him the ultimatum that if he wanted me to continue to pay for his phone each month then he has to share his location with me on Google Maps. He's fine with it and I don't use it to constantly track him but it's there if and when I need it. It's really unobtrusive and it's already there on the phone so no extras required.
Me and my wife also share our locations with it. It's so much easier than her messaging me everyday to ask when she can expect me home to serve dinner lol.

We told our son when we gave him the phone he had to be open about it and need to share info from time to time. He's fine with sharing location.

Questions: Does the built in Google Share Location...

- Does it need to be reset every time I turn my phone off? Settings gave a choice of specific time frame or until phone is turned off.

- Will it work with iPhones, or will my wife need a seperate app?

- My son's phone uses a non-Gmail, school email account. Will he need a Gmail account for this to work?

 

[chanchan05]

We told our son when we gave him the phone he had to be open about it and need to share info from time to time. He's fine with sharing location.

Questions: Does the built in Google Share Location...

- Does it need to be reset every time I turn my phone off? Settings gave a choice of specific time frame or until phone is turned off.

- Will it work with iPhones, or will my wife need a seperate app?

- My son's phone uses a non-Gmail, school email account. Will he need a Gmail account for this to work?

1. I think you misunderstood. There are two choices: a time frame and 'until you turn this off'. The second choice means until you turn off the setting.

2. It should work. It's a Google Map functionality which I believe is available on iPhones as well.

3. He will need a Gmail account if you're giving him an Android phone. The Gmail account is his Google account which will let him download apps. Also yes, he needs a Google Maps account for this to work. The Gmail is his Google ID and works the same way as Apple ID.

4. The previous suggestion of Cerberus is actually good. I use Cerberus and wondered why I didn't think of that. It's an antitheft app which also allows you to search the location of the phone. It will also send warnings to trusted numbers you set if the SIM was changed. If the device was stolen, apart from tracking, incorrect password entries would also trigger the phone to take pictures of the person trying to unlock the phone. There are other features as well. The

 

[dpw09]

I also second the google map sharing option. This is what I use for my 11 year old. I open Google and it always shows her location. Whether that my purpose for maps when launching at the moment. But nice to see that reassurance before I use maps for its original purpose