imei_getter

A Flutter plugin to get device identifiers with proper permission handling and graceful fallbacks for modern Android and iOS restrictions.

Features

• Android (API < 29): Reads IMEI number when READ_PHONE_STATE permission is granted
• Android (API 29+): Falls back to Settings.Secure.ANDROID_ID (no permission required)
• iOS: Returns identifierForVendor (stable per vendor, resets on app reinstall)
• Permission Handling: Built-in methods to check and request permissions
• Privacy-First: Handles restrictions gracefully and provides clear guidance

Installation

Add this to your package's pubspec.yaml file:

dependencies:
  imei_getter: ^0.2.0

Then run:

flutter pub get

Platform Setup

Android

The plugin automatically handles permissions. For Android 9 and below, add the following to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<manifest>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
    <!-- ... other permissions ... -->
</manifest>

Note: On Android 10 (API 29) and above, IMEI access is restricted even with permission. The plugin automatically falls back to ANDROID_ID.

iOS

No additional setup required. The plugin uses identifierForVendor which is available by default.

Usage

Basic Example

import 'package:imei_getter/imei_getter.dart';

// Get device identifier
final identifier = await ImeiGetter.getDeviceIdentifier();
print('Device ID: $identifier');

With Permission Handling (Android)

import 'package:imei_getter/imei_getter.dart';

Future<String?> getDeviceId() async {
  // Check if permission is granted (Android only)
  final hasPermission = await ImeiGetter.hasPermission();
  
  if (!hasPermission) {
    // Request permission
    await ImeiGetter.requestPermission();
    
    // Check again after request
    final granted = await ImeiGetter.hasPermission();
    if (!granted) {
      print('Permission denied. Using fallback identifier.');
    }
  }
  
  // Get identifier (will use fallback on Android 10+ or if permission denied)
  return await ImeiGetter.getDeviceIdentifier();
}

Complete Example

See the example/ directory for a complete Flutter app demonstrating:

• Permission requests
• Error handling
• Display of device identifier
• Platform-specific behavior

API Reference

Future<String?> getDeviceIdentifier()

Returns the device identifier:

• Android (API < 29): IMEI if permission granted, otherwise ANDROID_ID
• Android (API 29+): ANDROID_ID (IMEI not accessible)
• iOS: identifierForVendor.uuidString

Returns null if identifier cannot be retrieved.

Future<bool> hasPermission()

Checks if READ_PHONE_STATE permission is granted (Android only).

• Returns true on iOS (no permission needed)
• Returns true on Android 10+ (uses ANDROID_ID, no permission needed)
• Returns true/false on Android < 10 based on permission status

Future<void> requestPermission()

Requests READ_PHONE_STATE permission (Android only).

• No-op on iOS
• No-op on Android 10+ (uses ANDROID_ID, no permission needed)
• Shows permission dialog on Android < 10

Limitations & Privacy Considerations

Android

• Android 10 (API 29) and above: IMEI access is restricted by the system, even with READ_PHONE_STATE permission. The plugin automatically uses ANDROID_ID as a fallback.
• Android 9 and below: IMEI can be accessed with proper permission.
• Play Store Policy: Google Play Store has strict policies regarding IMEI collection. Ensure your use case complies with their policies.

iOS

• IMEI Not Available: iOS does not provide IMEI access to apps.
• identifierForVendor: Returns a stable identifier per vendor (app developer). This identifier:
  • Resets when all apps from the vendor are uninstalled
  • Resets on device restore
  • Is unique per device-vendor combination

Privacy Best Practices

1. Only request IMEI when necessary: Consider if ANDROID_ID or identifierForVendor meets your needs.
2. Inform users: Clearly explain why you need device identifiers in your privacy policy.
3. Handle gracefully: Always handle null returns and permission denials.
4. Comply with regulations: Ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.
5. Play Store compliance: Review Google Play Store policies before collecting IMEI.

Testing

Run the example app:

cd example
flutter run

Run unit tests:

flutter test

License

See LICENSE file for details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.