What is the app that hides audio files?

What is an Audio Hiding App?

An audio hiding app is a type of software that allows users to conceal and embed hidden audio files within a separate, innocuous sounding audio file. This process is known as audio steganography, which falls under the broader definition of steganography – the practice of hiding secret data within ordinary, non-secret files or messages.

Audio hiding apps utilize audio steganography techniques to combine a secret audio file with a “carrier” audio file. The secret data is embedded within the carrier file through subtle alterations that are not detectable to the human ear. When played back, the carrier audio sounds normal, with no obvious indication that hidden data exists within it. Only individuals who have the app and knowledge of the embedding process can extract and recover the secret audio.

Some of the primary uses and benefits of audio hiding apps include securely transferring hidden information, concealing private audio content, and protecting sensitive files ^[1]. The secret audio data embedded using the app is not visible through typical audio playback methods without the proper extraction software.

[1] https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/steganography

History and Origin

Audio hiding apps first emerged in the early 2010s as smartphone usage grew exponentially. Developers recognized the need for privacy around sensitive content stored on devices. The first major audio hiding app is believed to be Music Vault, launched for Android in 2013.

Music Vault creator Nikhil Nair started the project as a way to securely store private audio files, photos, and videos behind a music player interface. At the time, smartphone malware and remote access hacks were increasingly common. Music Vault enabled discreet storage with password protection and encryption to keep sensitive media safe.

The app tapped into growing demand for privacy tools as mobile devices stored more and more personal data. Early versions focused specifically on hiding photos and videos behind the audio interface. Over time, features expanded to include general file storage, cloud syncing, and optimized performance.

Numerous apps have since replicated and iterated on the audio hiding concept. But Music Vault set an important precedent as one of the first intuitive solutions for safeguarding sensitive smartphone content.

Primary Uses and Benefits

Main reasons people use audio hiding apps include offering privacy and concealing information. For example, according to https://www.highfidelity.com/blog/benefits-of-drop-in-audio-apps, audio hiding apps can provide “immediate connection that doesn’t require looking at your phone.” This allows users to access information privately without bringing attention to themselves. Additionally, as noted in https://medium.com/intrasonics/hiding-data-in-sound-c8db3de5d6e0, audio hiding apps “solves a more general problem, that of sending additional data over sound.” This could be used to conceal sensitive information that users want to keep private.

Popular Apps

Some of the most popular and highly-rated audio hiding apps include:

Hide It Pro – Allows you to hide photos, videos, music, and apps behind a PIN, pattern, or fingerprint lock.
Audio Manager – Provides a secure vault to hide media files like photos, videos, and audio recordings.

Vaulty – Hides pictures and videos in a password protected virtual vault.
Private Photo Vault – Keeps your private images and videos hidden behind a passcode lock.

These apps allow you to securely hide sensitive media files in a locked vault or folder protected by a password, PIN, pattern lock, or fingerprint authentication.

Features and Capabilities

Popular audio hiding apps provide a variety of features to help safely conceal audio files. Some key capabilities include:

Password protection – Users can set a password or passcode to restrict access to hidden files ¹.
Encryption – Files are encrypted before hiding to provide secure protection ².

Vaults/Private folders – Apps create concealed vaults or private folders separate from the main gallery to store hidden media ³.
Media concealment – Files like audio recordings, voice memos, videos, and music can be hidden from the main app galleries ².
Restore and backup – Hidden files can be backed up and restored in case of issues like app reinstalls or phone changes ¹.

Limitations and Risks

Audio hiding apps have some potential risks and downsides that users should be aware of. Many security experts warn that these apps provide a false sense of security since the hidden files are not actually secure if someone gains access to your device (source). The apps simply hide the files in a secret folder or under an innocuous name, but a determined hacker could still uncover them.

Additionally, some hiding apps themselves have security vulnerabilities that could allow access to your private audio files. So while you may think your files are hidden, the app itself presents a risk (source). This presents both a privacy risk and potentially a legal risk if you are hiding inappropriate or illegal files.

There is also the risk that if not properly configured, the hidden audio files may still show up in file searches or be discoverable by audio fingerprinting technologies used by law enforcement.

Legality and Ethics

The issue of using audio hiding apps involves both legal and ethical considerations. Some questions to ask:

Is it legal to use these apps to record conversations without the other person’s consent? The answer depends on local and federal wiretapping laws. Generally, it is illegal to secretly record other people’s conversations without their consent.
Is it ethical to record people without letting them know? There are situations where secret recordings may serve an ethical purpose, like gathering evidence of wrongdoing. However, in most cases it violates principles of transparency and consent.

According to legal experts, federal wiretapping laws prohibit the secret audio recording of conversations without consent from at least one party (Source). Additionally, individual state laws may require consent from both/all parties to a conversation before legally recording. Users of audio hiding apps should research relevant laws before proceeding.

There are also ethical issues to consider with secretly recording private conversations. Respecting others’ privacy and consent is an important ethical principle. However, there may be special circumstances, like gathering evidence of a crime or abuse, where secret recordings serve a greater ethical purpose.

In summary, while audio hiding apps provide useful capabilities, great care should be taken to use them legally and ethically. In most situations, informing people you are recording them is the right thing to do.

Statistics and Data

According to a Reddit discussion on data usage of audio hiding apps, the popular NewPipe app processes only the audio stream when in background mode rather than the full video and audio stream. This allows users to save on data usage while listening to audio in the background (Source).

Research shows audio watermarking technology has grown substantially in adoption and capabilities over the past decade. A 2017 analysis found over 50 active companies, products, and research initiatives related to audio watermarking, indicating strong industry investment and innovation (Source).

On YouTube, tutorials on hiding data in audio files using tools like Audacity have amassed hundreds of thousands of views, suggesting significant mainstream interest in audio steganography techniques (Source). However, statistics are not available on actual adoption rates or demographics of usage.

Expert Perspectives

Privacy experts have expressed concerns over audio hiding apps. According to experts quoted on YourTeenMag (https://yourteenmag.com/technology/ghost-apps-to-hide-online), these apps enable risky behaviors:

“Ghost apps give teens opportunities to disguise potentially unsafe communications from their parents and teachers,” says internet safety educator and author Josh Ochs.

Cybersecurity experts recommend open conversations around technology use instead of restricting apps. As stated on Quora:

“Rather than restricting use of such apps which provide privacy, it is better to have an open discussion on using technology responsibly and safely.”

While audio hiding apps can be misused, experts emphasize education over prohibition. Monitoring children’s activities invades privacy which breeds mistrust. Hiding behaviors signal deeper issues to address through communication and guidance.

The Future

Experts predict that audio hiding apps will continue to evolve and gain popularity in the coming years. As social audio and private messaging grow more mainstream, the demand for discreet recording capabilities is likely to increase.

App developers are expected to add more sophisticated features like transcription services, encrypted cloud storage, and tighter controls around consent and moderation (URL). New augmented reality capabilities may also emerge, allowing users to embed hidden audio in real-world environments.

Some believe audio-based online communities will be the next wave of social media, keeping users highly engaged across various apps (URL). Consequently, tools to privately save discussions for later could see growing utility. However, legal and ethical implications around consent, surveillance, and privacy will require ongoing examination as well.

In the near future, easier cross-platform sharing may allow hidden recordings to spread rapidly across social channels. Whether these trends represent social progress or perils depends much on how users and companies promote transparency, freedom, and trust.