Tim
I suggest you also read
http://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-allen-dispatch-imei-urn-as-instanceid/
That will explain the primary application of this URN which is intended for use in the 3GPP cellular standards.
Andrew
From: Tim Bray [mailto:tbray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2013 10:02 AM Central Standard Time
To: IETF-Discussion Discussion <ietf@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: Last call: draft-montemurro-gsma-imei-urn-16.txt
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2013 10:02 AM Central Standard Time
To: IETF-Discussion Discussion <ietf@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: Last call: draft-montemurro-gsma-imei-urn-16.txt
Just wanted to point out that both Apple (for iOS) and Google (for Android) have strongly discouraged the use of IMEI to identify devices for the purposes of application software. There are privacy, quality, and availability issues with their use. Apple
has removed the ability of developers to work with the (often IMEI-derived) “Universal Device ID” (see
http://blogs.avg.com/mobile-2/apple-ios-7-puts-unique-device-ids/) and Google has officially deprecated their use:
http://android-developers.blogspot.ca/2011/03/identifying-app-installations.html
I’m not sure from reading the draft what the goal of having this URN namespace is, but if it involves encouraging its use by application developers, I’m pretty sure it’s a bad idea.This transmission (including any attachments) may contain confidential information, privileged material (including material protected by the solicitor-client or other applicable privileges), or constitute non-public information. Any use of this information by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately reply to the sender and delete this information from your system. Use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this transmission by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful.