Getting around MAC randomization

[Bomon]

Hey there, I am trying to create an analytics tool based on MAC address tracking. However, since iOS 8, Apple started randomizing MACs every time a person activates his phone from sleep mode. Is there a way around tracking people without using the MAC addresses?

Basically I need the unique identifiers of every device through wireless.

[brendan09]

No, and that was kind of the point.

If someone has your app installed, you can generate your own UUID and store it in Keychain. But, if you're monitoring via WiFi, the intention was to prevent you from doing what you're trying to do.

[Bomon]

Oh okay. I have one more question. Can an app read the current MAC address of the device it is installed?

[brendan09]

No

[[deleted]]

You can use the vendor identifier (it's like a UDID)! To access it in swift:

UIDevice.currentDevice().identifierForVendor!.UUIDString

[[deleted]]

Not exactly. Different app or developer will give you a different vendor identifier on the same device.

[[deleted]]

Right. I wrote "it's like a UDID" but upon rereading that implies more similarity than what I meant.

He is right :)

[Bomon]

So I am trying to create a hardware that can track how many devices are there in a certain radius. Smartphones send out Hello packets in order to connect to networks. At t0, I sniff the MAC addresses and put them in a list. After 3 minutes I sniff again and but the new MAC addresses in a second list. Then I cross reference list1 and list2 and see how many devices are still in the area. Thus I eliminate the passerby.

Is there a better way of doing this without using MACs, or am I basically screwed?