It is possible to identify nearby android devices with bluetooth disabled?

Question

I'm developing a system that identify nearby mobile devices using ESP32 for sniffing bluetooth packets.

Multiple articles indicate that it is possible to track Android phones using bluetooth, even if it is disabled:

• https://qz.com/1169760/phone-data/
• https://www.vozpopuli.com/memesis/balizas-google-bluetooth-ubicacion-Privacidad_0_1107489510.html

I have looked for more information on how to do it but I have not found anything.

Is only Google able to do that or anyone can do it?

Thanks.

Answer 1

No.

If these devices are not transmitting bluetooth packets, then it is not possible for nearby devices to listen to that traffic and identify them. What Google is doing is to require phones running Android to passively monitor for bluetooth traffic and relay this back to their servers. Phones with Google Maps installed passively relay location in the same way so that traffic maps are ~accurate in realtime.

In other words, disabling bluetooth prevents pairing and sending bluetooth traffic, but not receiving it.

If you're asking about programmatically disabling bluetooth with this caveat, take a look at this Stack Overflow question