Device

Device

The device object describes the device's hardware and software.

Properties

Variable Scope

Since device is assigned to the window object, it is implicitly in the global scope.

// These reference the same `device`
//
var phoneName = window.device.name;
var phoneName = device.name;

device.name

Get the device's model name.

var string = device.name;

Description

device.name returns the name of the device's model or product. This value is set by the device manufacturer and may be different across versions of the same product.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// Android:    Nexus One       returns "Passion" (Nexus One code name)
//             Motorola Droid  returns "voles"
// BlackBerry: Bold 8900       returns "8900"
// iPhone:     All devices     returns a name set by iTunes e.g. "Joe's iPhone"
//
var name = device.name;

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="phonegap.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for PhoneGap to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // PhoneGap is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        var element = document.getElementById('deviceProperties');

        element.innerHTML = 'Device Name: '     + device.name     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device PhoneGap: ' + device.phonegap + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Platform: ' + device.platform + '<br />' + 
                            'Device UUID: '     + device.uuid     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Version: '  + device.version  + '<br />';
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="deviceProperties">Loading device properties...</p>
  </body>
</html>

Android Quirks

iPhone Quirks

device.phonegap

Get the version of phonegap running on the device.

var string = device.phonegap;

Description

device.phonegap returns the version of phonegap running on the device.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

var name = device.phonegap;

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="phonegap.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for PhoneGap to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // PhoneGap is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        var element = document.getElementById('deviceProperties');

        element.innerHTML = 'Device Name: '     + device.name     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device PhoneGap: ' + device.phonegap + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Platform: ' + device.platform + '<br />' + 
                            'Device UUID: '     + device.uuid     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Version: '  + device.version  + '<br />';
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="deviceProperties">Loading device properties...</p>
  </body>
</html>

device.platform

Get the device's operating system name.

var string = device.platform;

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// Depending on the device, a few examples are:
//   - "Android"
//   - "BlackBerry"
//   - "iPhone"
//   - "webOS"
//   - "WinCE"
var devicePlatform = device.platform;

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="phonegap.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for PhoneGap to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // PhoneGap is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        var element = document.getElementById('deviceProperties');

        element.innerHTML = 'Device Name: '     + device.name     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device PhoneGap: ' + device.phonegap + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Platform: ' + device.platform + '<br />' + 
                            'Device UUID: '     + device.uuid     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Version: '  + device.version  + '<br />';
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="deviceProperties">Loading device properties...</p>
  </body>
</html>

iPhone Quirks

All devices return iPhone as the platform. This is inaccurate because Apple has rebranded the iPhone operating system as iOS.

BlackBerry Quirks

Devices may return the device platform version instead of the platform name. For example, the Storm2 9550 would return '2.13.0.95' or similar.

device.uuid

Get the device's Universally Unique Identifier (UUID).

var string = device.uuid;

Description

The details of how a UUID is generated are determined by the device manufacturer and specific to the device's platform or model.

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// Android: Returns a random 64-bit integer (as a string, again!)
//          The integer is generated on the device's first boot
//
// BlackBerry: Returns the PIN number of the device
//             This is a nine-digit unique integer (as a string, though!)
//
// iPhone: (Paraphrased from the UIDevice Class documentation)
//         Returns a string of hash values created from multiple hardware identifies.
//         It is guaranteed to be unique for every device and cannot be tied
//         to the user account.
// Windows Phone 7 : Returns a hash of device+current user, 
// if the user is not defined, a guid is generated and will persist until the app is uninstalled
// 
var deviceID = device.uuid;

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="phonegap.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for PhoneGap to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // PhoneGap is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        var element = document.getElementById('deviceProperties');

        element.innerHTML = 'Device Name: '     + device.name     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device PhoneGap: ' + device.phonegap + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Platform: ' + device.platform + '<br />' + 
                            'Device UUID: '     + device.uuid     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Version: '  + device.version  + '<br />';
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="deviceProperties">Loading device properties...</p>
  </body>
</html>

device.version

Get the operating system version.

var string = device.version;

Supported Platforms

Quick Example 

// Android:    Froyo OS would return "2.2"
//             Eclair OS would return "2.1", "2.0.1", or "2.0"
//             Version can also return update level "2.1-update1" 
//
// BlackBerry: Bold 9000 using OS 4.6 would return "4.6.0.282"
//
// iPhone:     iOS 3.2 returns "3.2"
//
// Windows Phone 7: returns current OS version number, ex. on Mango returns 7.10.7720
var deviceVersion = device.version;

Full Example 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Device Properties Example</title>

    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="phonegap.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">

    // Wait for PhoneGap to load
    //
    document.addEventListener("deviceready", onDeviceReady, false);

    // PhoneGap is ready
    //
    function onDeviceReady() {
        var element = document.getElementById('deviceProperties');

        element.innerHTML = 'Device Name: '     + device.name     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device PhoneGap: ' + device.phonegap + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Platform: ' + device.platform + '<br />' + 
                            'Device UUID: '     + device.uuid     + '<br />' + 
                            'Device Version: '  + device.version  + '<br />';
    }

    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p id="deviceProperties">Loading device properties...</p>
  </body>
</html>