I've been curious as to how google generates one time log in tokens on an iPhone app without comminicatig with the server when the token is Assigned. The token changes every ten seconds. How does google know what the right token is? I disabled data and it still works.
Thanks
it uses your unique key during setup as well as a special sequence/algorithm (that's part of the authenticator program (in your case, the iPhone .app)) to generate a special key. As part of the key-generating process, it also uses the current time on your iPhone to match up with the computer time you are logging in from.
remember a verification code, wait for the current code to expire, and continue logging into your google account on your computer with your previously memorized code. it will still work. try changing the time on your phone by 20 minutes off or something, and use a newly-generated code, it will not work.
it works similar to the HSBC security dongle keychain thinggy (for online banking) if you have one.