This iOS GPS spoofing post is presented by Wondershare, maker of Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS).
People have been tricking their smartphone apps into thinking they’re somewhere else for a long time. That’s called global positioning system (GPS) spoofing. And while there are surely illegal reasons to do it, there are also plenty of legal ones.
Anyone addicted to Pokémon Go who just sprained their ankle or got snowed in knows what I’m talking about. You still gotta play. And when the game depends upon GPS — as a huge number of location-based augmented reality games do — you need your iPhone to indicate you actually got off the couch.
And the great thing is, whatever your reason for faking your GPS location with an iPhone, Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) now makes it easy to do, with no jailbreaking required. Alth0ugh Apple does not support GPS spoofing, location changing certainly isn’t just for Android smartphones anymore.
And by the way, Pokémon Go fans and other avid AR gamers, here’s a handy guide that recommends Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) as a simpler alternative to iSpoofer PC for iPhone in a gaming context. Some users find iSpoofer frustrating, largely because they consider it complicated to install and configure on a Mac, limited by iTunes-related errors, and liable to attract warnings in the game. Some even report player account bans because of detected movement limitations.
Reasons to spoof your GPS
There are several not-super-nefarious reasons people incorporate fake GPS. Sometimes it’s employed simply for privacy reasons. In addition to using your internet IP address to track you, companies and services can use your GPS to track you. With GPS spoofing, you can hide your location. (Note: Cutting off GPS tracking became easier with iOS 13, so you also have that option.)
If you convince your GPS and all apps working with it that you’re in a given place, any services available in that place but not in yours could become available to you. This is a use for virtual private networks most often associated with geo-restrictions on streaming services like movies, but it can also work with GPS spoofing. A VPN will alter your IP address while a fake GPS will alter your GPS coordinates.
Another popular reason for GPS spoofing is to cast a wider net in the online dating game. Maybe you feel you’ve exhausted the ranks of eligible bachelors or bachelorettes in your area, but the next town or two over seems rife for the picking — if only the distance wasn’t such a turnoff for your quarry.
You might also spoof your GPS to impress friends on social media or play a practical joke. You may be living in COVID-19 lockdown in California, wearing the same unwashed pajamas you had on a few weeks ago. But you can make it look to your followers on Instagram like you’re strolling among pyramids in Egypt. So why not? In times of quarantine, we need our entertainment by any means necessary.
Gaming rules
Which brings me to the top reason for GPS spoofing – the entertainment that location-based AR gaming provides, as mentioned above. A spate of bad weather could keep you from making your appointed rounds in games like Pokémon Go, Ingress Prime or Minecraft Earth. So you better look into a fake GPS app.
The AR market exploded in 2016 with the wildly popular Pokémon Go. The game hit $14.1 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $209 billion by 2022. The market reaches well beyond gaming into other sectors like travel and health care, but gaming remains dominant.
With such a strong AR market, the market for fake GPS apps was bound to grow, and it has. But when it comes to apps, instability can always be a problem. That includes the various GPS-spoofing apps you can find online that claim to work well with iOS. You should look carefully on forums and the like for developer and user notes on their experiences with the app and possible problems. The app isn’t going to help much if it crashes or interferes with your iPhone’s operation in some way.
Risks of spoofing
As we noted, Apple does not support GPS spoofing, so there is no method integral to iOS for doing it. You have to do it by other means, such as installing a special app or jailbreaking your device.
Some apps designed to fake GPS can mess with device settings, giving you headaches. Even after you remove the app, the original GPS may function differently.
Jailbreaking your device alters native settings by nature, so you can cause problems yourself.
It’s also worth noting that harmful websites and apps are often blocked by location, so “teleporting” to another international location can open you up to exposure to them.
Finally, while a person GPS spoofing his or her own device usually only results in legal trouble if they use the spoofing to harm others in some way, detected spoofing can get you banned from use of an AR game, at least temporarily.
Features of Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS)
Wondershare’s Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) boasts a simple, safe and stable way to spoof your GPS. With this location changer, you can teleport your iPhone GPS to any place in the world with one click. The app sets up a virtual GPS location so every other location-based app on your phone believes you are there.
Photo: Wondershare
How to spoof your iPhone GPS location
Once you launch the app on your computer and connect your iPhone, Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS) offers three modes: teleport your location, simulate movement between two spots, and simulate movement along a specified route.
Define a route and set the speed
Once set up with fake GPS, you can mimic natural movement. This is helpful for AR gameplay. You can define a route by selecting two or more spots, and then move along by simulating a typical walking speed, cycling speed or driving speed. You can also set up “pause time” during the movement to make it seem more natural.
Use the joystick to simulate GPS movement freely
Whether you are in the teleport, one-stop or multi-stop mode, you can use a joystick to spare 90% of the labor in GPS movement control.
Automatic marching
With one click, you can make the GPS spot move automatically. Directions are changeable in real-time.
360-degree directions
You can also set 360-degree directions. Move forward or in reverse by clicking the Up or Down arrows.
Keyboard control
On your keyboard, you can use the letter keys W, A, S and D, or the directional keys Up, Down, Left and Right, to control GPS movement.
Prices for up to five mobile devices and one PC: $9.95 for one month with auto-renewal; $6.66 a month billed quarterly; $4.99 a month billed annually.
Download from: Wondershare Dr. Fone – Virtual Location (iOS)
