Moscow authorities planned to start tracking pedestrian movements using smartphones’ MAC addresses to improve public transport. However, the project, worth 152.9 million rubles, may be curtailed due to the recent updates of the mobile operating systems iOS and Android.
This was reported by Kommersant, citing a source in the mayor’s office familiar with the development process. It is noted that the latest iOS and Android updates have made it almost impossible to keep track of devices.
The source explained:
The problem is that in the latest Android and iOS updates, the function of dynamic replacement of MAC addresses is provided, so it is clearly not possible to get unique phone addresses. Now our techies are looking for a way out of the situation, trying to bypass the protection of operating systems (OS), but, most likely, the project will be closed. ”
However, a representative of the Center for Traffic Management of Moscow (TsODD) in an official comment said that he did not know about the plans to close the project.
According to Kommersant, the moment the contract was signed, it was already known about the latest updates to iOS and Android – Android 11 and iOS 14, which debuted in September 2020, provide for a dynamic change of the MAC address. Thus, the systems purchased by the mayor’s office may be useless.
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