Unknown app using my data

Lfckopite wrote:

That’s true as I was scammed few weeks ago by app that was on my phone . Rang Apple and they changed my login password and fixed everything for me while on phone with them ‘ and I must say he was fast and professional, never had problems after the fix +++++

The astronomy wallpaper had nothing to do with that. It's an Apple feature.

So I believe I’ve learned more about the astronomy app under Cellular in Settings. After the last update, there are several Apple wallpapers that require some data use. I went to my wallpaper options and found it, so I’m not so worried about it now. You don’t have to use the Astronomy wallpaper. Hope it sets some minds at ease for those who haven’t discovered it’s use or reason for its presence under your Cellular under Settings.

It’s is spyware and it took my credit card information 3 X and I had originally discovered it on my mother’s iPhone SE 2nd generation under data and I turned it off whoever made it doesn’t seem to be able to turn it back on, but I am certain that I got it by way of spam from someone who texted me saying they were USPS and they were letting me know that a package couldn’t be delivered as they had no proper address destination and I being very exhausted made mistake of believing it was USPS gave them my credit card information, I then got scammed and I corrected my mistake got a new card number and then about 3 weeks later got another charge that I didn’t authorize and so I called my credit card company and told them yet again I needed a new number and they gave me a new card number and within 10mins a new scam charge hit and my brain went into overdrive and I checked my iPhone 12 Pro for the Astronomy app and sure enough I had it and realized that I probably got it through the original spammer, but that’s just a theory without proof.

Here’s what I know once I turned it off in data it never turned back on and the yet again new credit card # was not hit again with fraudulent charges, but I still have the dang Astronomy app without an app problem!

And I don’t want to lose all of my photos or other data because doing a complete reset and redownloading from last iCloud backup is useless as it reappears! So it has everyone trapped, so far, maybe someone can figure out how to make it disappear from our iPhones for forever!

“Unknown app using my data: I think someone is using app developing as a way to access my phone without my permission. I’ve had a very large number of things happen that lead me to this conclusion.[…]”

———-

Thank you for the screenshot.

Restore your iPhone:

If you are so concerned, then restore from a backup or reset your iPhone to factory settings.

A. Restore from a Backup:

Did your ever back up your iPhone with these installed? If so, back up you could back up your iPhone, and then restore it from the backup.

or...

B. Resetting to Factory Settings:

Perform as instructed here, including the iCloud plug and backup creation: What to do Before you Sell, Give Away, or Trade in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

K_Martt wrote:

Today I’m just trying to figure out if anyone else has an app show up under cellular data called astronomy? It never actually has used any data since I noticed it. But there is no app for it that I can open. I’ve searched the store and google for it too with no luck.

"Astronomy" is one of the new wallpaper options released with iOS 16. It will show you live astronomical data. There is also a live weather wallpaper.

MyUsername0000 wrote:

I just noticed the same thing; is there a clear answer about this? I see a few replies about the iOS 16.0 new astronomy feature, but I haven’t used it and can’t seem to find “it” on my phone.. Under apps, using search, etc. The only place it’s listed is where I just saw it (under cellular data).

As noted above, it's wallpaper. You can find it in Settings>Wallpaper. As long as you don't use it as your wallpaper, it doesn't seem to use any data.

I believe the live weather wallpaper will also use data if you are using it as your wallpaper.

edge160 wrote:

Yes I’m having the same issue cellular data shows astronomy can’t find it anywhere else

Did you read the parts of this thread that explain what it is?

From my post from September 16:

"Astronomy" is one of the new wallpaper options released with iOS 16. It will show you live astronomical data. There is also a live weather wallpaper.

That’s true as I was scammed few weeks ago by app that was on my phone . Rang Apple and they changed my login password and fixed everything for me while on phone with them ‘ and I must say he was fast and professional, never had problems after the fix +++++

I think I figured it out. I believe it’s got to do with the new IOS update and new wallpapers. So, apparently it’s not an app, but a wallpaper that uses data. This was driving me banana’s and I was spun out trying to figure it out. Hope you rest a lil better at least knowing what it is.

annastasia888 wrote:

I have spotted this mysterious astronomy phenomenon. Although for me - Its not taking my data but its instead tracking my location. I had to go into my privacy settings to turn it off. I do not have this app downloaded or can find it anywhere existing in my phone? Explanation warranted asap. ..

What is so mysterious about it? It has already been explained in this thread. Did you read any of the other three pages of the thread? It’s a dynamic wallpaper. It bases what it shows on your location. So, while it’s using location information that your phone already collects, it’s not “tracking” your location. It’s not telling keeping records of your location or sending that information off the phone.

Did you put a work email on your iPhone? If you did that gives them access to your phone’s security settings and data. But there would be no personal data on their computers unless you synced or backed up your phone to their servers, which would give them the right to access any data that you synced or backed up.

bethfromshreveport wrote:

why do I need to have this Astronomy using my data on my IPhone . I need to know more about what it does than just saying it is a wallpaper.

It is a wallpaper that uses data to update itself as it shows a changing display based on astronomical data. Even if you don't use it as your wallpaper, it can use very small amounts of data. There is nothing nefarious about it.

Astronomy also shows up under my cellular data but it is related to an astronomy watch face on my Apple Watch.

hellohideE wrote:

What is this astronomy thing…I found it the same way under cellular data! Freaks me out when I see that. I am constantly checking my phone for spam and spyware!

That has been answered repeatedly in this thread. It is a dynamic wallpaper included with iOS 16. Nothing nefarious about it.

As noted above, it's wallpaper. You can find it in Settings>Wallpaper. As long as you don't use it as your wallpaper, it doesn't seem to use any data.

Beg to differ. The only reason I noticed it at all was because it had used some data. Until I saw it under current period statistics, I didn't know it existed. Then when I couldn't find it, I searched for "how can the astronomy app use data when it isn't installed?" and ended up here. My wallpaper is whatever the default is (a snowscape that's been there since iOS 7 -- across multiple phones obviously).

It wasn't a huge amount of data, but it was non-zero. We had just crossed time zones a couple of times, so maybe it was recalibrating.