Is Device Pulse Spyware: We Did The Research For You

RobotPoweredHome is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my blog, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I recently bought a TracFone cellphone. I am very happy with the budget-friendly services and the amazing customer service.

However, the only thing that bothers me is the Device Pulse instant messaging app the phone comes with.

It does offer a number of features and benefits but I am used to the default Android messaging app so I wanted to disable the feature.

Moreover, the Device Pulse app mirrors all the user activity to the cloud. This feature made me a little insecure as well.

Nevertheless, I was unable to deactivate the app and revert to the Android messaging app. Naturally, I started searching for ways to deactivate the app.

I was surprised to see how many people on the tech forums believed that this app was spyware and was monitoring user data.

I forgot about the whole deactivating escapade and started looking into the theory I had just discovered.

The device pulse app is not spyware but it does monitor and store user data for the purpose of targeting ads. Moreover, the data from the app is constantly uploaded to cloud storage.

In this article, I have talked about the application itself and the complaints that users have regarding the app.

Device Pulse Functionality

The Device Pulse app comes as a default messaging app on the TracFone cellphones.

However, it can also be installed using the App Store or the Play Store.

Once you grant it the necessary permissions, the app has access to a chunk of data on your phone.

These include:

• Contacts
• Call data
• Microphone
• Files
• Location
• Phone
• SMS
• Camera
• Device ID
• Photos
• Multimedia

It imports all the contacts and messages to the app and uploads them to the cloud.

Users can change the settings and access all the data via the cloud as well.

Device Pulse Features

As compared to other instant messaging applications that we use, the Device Pulse app comes with several attractive features.

Some of these features are:

• Easy customization of the settings and the user interface.
• Text alteration
• Automatic reply and message scheduling
• Black and white list creation
• MMS support
• Allows you to add a signature to the message
• Pinned conversations
• Delayed messaging support
• Backup to the cloud

Benefits Of Using Device Pulse

Keeping the features mentioned above, the Device Pulse app comes with several benefits.

The top-most benefit is that like WhatsApp and Telegram, the desktop version of the app can be downloaded.

You can use the Device Pulse app in the browser as well. This allows you to send messages and access other features via your computer.

Other benefits of the application are:

• Message notifications on your computer
• Messages are backed up automatically
• You can install the Device Pulse extension on your browser
• You can change settings and customize the UI for each chat
• The system is end-to-end encrypted like WhatsApp and Telegram

User Reservations About Device Pulse

Although the Device Pulse app has several benefits and offers amazing features, many users have been complaining about how they were unable to disable the application once it was installed.

Many users have also reported that after they installed and set up the application, their phone became really slow and started malfunctioning.

Keeping this in mind, it is not farfetched that people will start believing this app is spyware.

One of the users furiously complained that the app is extremely heavy and receives constant updates.

Due to this, one time, the individual was unable to call 911 during an emergency.

Nevertheless, the most common concern that individuals have is that their data is being monitored and collected.

The app even collects information like battery capacity, storage, available memory, Cloud ID, Ad ID, Phone Number, and Geolocation.

This is being done in order to provide branded and localized experiences

The worst part is, that many TracFone users are unaware that the app is installed on their phone and even if they want to, they cannot uninstall it.

This also enables the carrier to send the users ads and forward messages.

Is Device Pulse Spyware?

No, the Device Pulse app is not adware but the application does collect and monitor information.

Once you give it the required permission, it has access to a chunk of information on your phone.

The application even collects unnecessary data from your phone. These include:

• Battery capacity
• Storage
• Available memory
• Cloud ID
• Ad ID
• Phone Number
• Geolocation

Disable Device Pulse

Disabling the Pulse app is impossible if you are using a Motorola phone. In most cases, you will neither be able to disable the app nor uninstall it if you are using a TracFone cell phone.

The best way to go about this is by contacting TracFone Customer Care.

Conclusion

The way Device Pulse App collects user information and prevents users from deleting the app has led many people to believe that the app is spyware or adware.

However, it is not. It functions pretty much like WhatsApp and Telegram.

You can always disable the app or uninstall it using complex ways like USB debugging with the ADB app which can disable the app.

However, for this, you will need prior technical knowledge.

You May Also Enjoy Reading

• My Tracfone Won’t Connect To The Internet: How To Fix in minutes
• Tracfone Not Receiving Texts: What do I do?
• Invalid SIM Card On Tracfone: How To Fix in minutes
• Tracfone no service: how to troubleshoot in seconds

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Device Pulse safe?

Pulse app provides end-to-end encryption so it is safe.

Is Device Pulse necessary?

Yes, it is a forced feature in TracFone cellphones.

Should I uninstall Device Pulse?

Yes, if you want to uninstall the app, you can. However, make sure it will not affect the functionality of other intertwined apps.