How to uniquely identify android device to track devices

Question

Hello I am working on an application in which we are tracking our app installation using device unique ID.

We are doing right now like this as https://stackoverflow.com/a/2785493/2455259

private String android_id = Secure.getString(getContext().getContentResolver(),
                                                    Secure.ANDROID_ID);

I got to know that from android 4.2 it can have different for different users https://stackoverflow.com/a/27013749/2455259.

Now I can't take mac address of wifi or bluetooth because it requires to make it turn on then fetch. Even I can't take IMEI because some tables don't have call feature so they don't have IMEI.

Now what are the option to uniquely identify android device ?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 29 '14 at 18:59

3

Now what are the option to uniquely identify android device ?

I am afraid assigning own unique number is most effective approach, because ANDROID_ID is broken (the answer you link to is incorrect - see comments there too), relying on it is quite futile as it can sometimes be the same for many devices or null, so anything but unique, therefore using it is pointless as it adds more troubles than helps. There's post on Android blog about this topic "Identifying App Installations" that you may want to get thru as well.

answered Nov 29 '14 at 18:59

Marcin Orlowski

72,056
11
123
141

I have already read that article but still don't know what parameter I should take. – N Sharma Nov 29 '14 at 19:00
1

Generate unique ID - that's basically what I am telling – Marcin Orlowski Nov 29 '14 at 19:01
1

thanks you so much. +1 Right now I am adding telephony is must in the permission so that IMEI can't null in that case – N Sharma Nov 30 '14 at 18:46

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 07 '16 at 09:48

I know this is old and the OP might have already moved on but with the introduction of Instance ID, we can use it to identify a unique installation.

The associated code is pretty straightforward too.

String iid = InstanceID.getInstance(context).getId();

The benefits include not having to specify permissions for Android Marshmallow and above. This seems to be a plus for developers who would need a unique id at the outset and cannot rely on user provided permission model for the same.

Which play services package we need for this? – IgorGanapolsky Nov 12 '18 at 15:28 — IgorGanapolsky, Nov 12 '18 at 15:28

How to uniquely identify android device to track devices

2 Answers2