Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Is Apple Tracking iPhone Users Through IMEI?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the putting-on-the-foil-hats dept.

ariefwn writes ""As I sit here applying a new layer of Reynolds tin foil to my international hat of conspiracy, its been proven that Apple tracks iPhone usage and tracks IMEI numbers of all their iPhones worldwide. Hidden in the code of the 'Stocks' and 'Weather' widgets is a string that sends the IMEI of your phone to a specialized URL that Apple collects. I wonder if there will be any implications to owners of hacked iPhones..."

11 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Tracking what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Exactly what are they tracking though? My location, my history, my music? What?!

    1. Re:Tracking what? by DaggertipX · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This just in - every time you make a call, AT&T knows what iPhone that call came from. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

      Oh wait... that's normal. Tinfoil hats are jumping at peoples heads these days like headcrabs in Half Life.

  2. Re:Just a few more minutes... by Sparr0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well, not 8 pages but...

    Has anyone verified that the IMEI is actually inserted into that field in the URL when the widget runs? The author says he tried to not send the IMEI, but maybe it just sends a placeholder value, or nothing at all, by default? I want to see traffic logs of the actual request including the IMEI before I get angry and [continue to] not buy an iPhone.

  3. Re:Yes, and the problem is? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Also worth noting that all mobile providers track the usage of devices. All phones beacon with their unique identification info. Also most mobile service offed from third parties can / do collect unique identification information on the devices using their service.

    As pointed out earlier apple clearly states that they can \ will collect such info from any apple device . An ipod sends its info to apple every time is is synced on a new account.

    This is not new this is not news that matters. Move on nothing to see here at least nothing that we do not already know.

  4. Re:more benign? by jdc180 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    IIRC the carriers in the US could care less about retrieving a stolen phone. They could use GSM to lockout stolen phones, but don't. I'm sure apple doesn't either.

  5. Re:Just a few more minutes... by ThirdPrize · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It is probably just to make sure that only iPhones use that service. Or registered iPhones at least.

    --
    I have excellent Karma and I am not afraid to Troll it.
  6. Re:apple the broker? by bleh-of-the-huns · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am pretty sure that would be illegal, and probably falls under laws that prohibit pump and dump stock scams....

    --
    I came, I conquered, I coredumped
  7. Re:Yes, and the problem is? by cadeon · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But you're still contributing to Microsoft's installed base, which isn't helping to fix the problem.

  8. Re:Yes, and the problem is? by tha_mink · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You signed an agreement when you bought the device. I don't think anyone signed an agreement to publish their stock watching habits to Apple though. Name? Sure...Email? No problem...All the stocks I'm watching? Um...no.
    --
    You'll have that sometimes...
  9. Re:Just a few more minutes... by naetuir · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Before I say this: I am an apple fanboi. I own an iPhone, iPod and my main computer is a MacBook Pro.

    That said..

    If M$ did this, there would be a shitstorm of the century.

    Apple isn't much (if any) better than M$. It's all in the perception of the people.

    I'll take the cute and cuddly overlords over the sharp and harsh ones anyday.

    --
    Use what works.
  10. Re:Yes, and the problem is? by Worminater · · Score: 2, Insightful

    do you think possibly he has a different phone than you? an n95 possibly? Or maybe you already climbed back under your bridge.