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Suppose I turn on "developer" mode on my Android mobile phone and install a professional GPS spoofing app and a professional VPN app. Developer mode will allow the GPS spoofing app to overwrite my GPS location on the phone, whilst the VPN will redirect all data via a secure server.

  • Will this "GPS spoofing + VPN" combo prevent third-party apps from being able to see my location?

  • Would professional organizations, such as police or other government entities, still be able to locate my phone?

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    Please check out all the "Related" questions listed on the side --->
    – schroeder ♦
    Jun 22, 2021 at 11:06

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Google Maps uses your wifi for location services. So, no, it will not always work.

In fact, to answer your question, you should read how Android Location Services work to know what factors are used and what you would need to override.

Police do not need to use the phone's location services. The mobile provider can use their towers to locate you via the cellular signal.

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    Great point! We still call it "GPS", but Android / iOS Location Services now includes all sorts of tricks beyond traditional GPS satellite signals. I remember years ago reading a research paper on getting like 1 m accuracy by building a map of signal strengths of wifi access points within your building. You can absolutely do the same with cell phone towers.
    – Mike Ounsworth
    Jun 22, 2021 at 14:47
  • Wouldn't the VPN disable the ability to locate my Wifi? I thought that was one the points of VPN: to redirect all traffic via a secured server, so that app like google maps won't be able to see my IP address or Wifi location. Apologies if this is a newbie question.
    – user257646
    Jun 24, 2021 at 10:23
  • Wifi seeks out WiFi APs on layer 2. That's not traffic that goes through a VPN.
    – schroeder ♦
    Jun 24, 2021 at 10:40

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