Research suggests that while there are third-party monitoring apps, such as mSpy, that claim to offer tracking capabilities without requiring Apple ID credentials, their effectiveness and legitimacy can vary, with some studies indicating that these apps may rely on exploits or vulnerabilities in the iOS system (e.g., a study by Kaspersky Lab found that some monitoring apps use jailbreaking to access device data). Additionally, it’s worth noting that using such apps may raise concerns about privacy and trust in relationships, as highlighted by a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Research, which found that parental monitoring can have both positive and negative effects on parent-child relationships, depending on the context and motivations.