Does apple connect id to device?

[dcwg]

If you download an app with your apple id, does apple somehow link your device's serial number or something to it? If it does, what exactly do they connect from your device to the account (udid, some kind of serial code?)?

[donmontalvo]

Nope, whatever you buy with your Apple ID can be used on any Mac that you log on to Mac App Store using your Apple ID.

[ernstcs]

But @donmontalvo that doesn't mean they aren't still tracking the devices you've Mac App Store installed it on their end somewhere. But I also don't think you understood what he was asking? I thought there was some sort of link to your account with the install on the box. I've had mixed account installs on boxes and when I wanted to update them I had to login with a different account on that box as if Mac App Store knew.

[JPDyson]

In my experience, not in any sense that it affects how you use/install that app.

[scottb]

If you buy a new Mac and goto the App Store and login with your Apple ID, then download the iWork/iLife apps/updates and then reimage that Mac and do the same with a (different) new Apple ID, you will not get those apps on that Mac. At least that has been my experience, which is why the whole App Store and Apple iApps are such a PITA. If you could just use any Apple ID and get the iApps, it would be a lot easier for sure.

*Edit: I just did it and confirmed that this is the case.

[ernstcs]

Interesting...I thought the free apps were based on serial numbers they kept for those apps in particular.

I agree with the PITA part.

[calum_rmit]

the free iapps are free with the purchase of new hardware. It makes perfect sense that these can be downloaded on "new" hardware but then not downloaded on "old" hardware.
This is just like the apps in the app store for iOS.
Apple would have some kind of list of serials/udids or whatever they are using to identify which machines are qualified to receive the iapps etc. You haven't purchased those apps so you can't put them on every mac you own, they were simply included as part of the package of buying a new mac and so are tied to that machine. thats my understanding of it. Of course there are ways around this however just not pretty

[scottb]

@calum_rmit: Apple could use the model identifier (sysctl hw.model) I would think to know what hardware came with the free iApps. But the way it works today is that if I buy a new Mac and use my Apple ID to get the iApps registered, I can in fact install them on older Macs as well. So the whole thing is rather stupid.