Mike G.
Level 2 (344 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Can I use a homekit device without turning all of my unrelated e-mail passwords over to Apple?

Hi,

 

I was wondering if anyone can help me. I just bought a simple homekit thermometer, but apparently if I want to use it I have turn over copies of all of my e-mail passwords to Apple! This sounds crazy (and very creepy), so I'm wondering if I'm misunderstanding or there's a way around this.

 

Here's the situation:

- I just bought a Bluetooth thermometer ("Elgato Eve" brand) that works through Homekit. This is my first homekit device. I would like to use it to see what temperature it is outside.

- When I went to set it up, it prompted me to name a "homekit" house... which then told me that I have to enable "icloud keychain" if I want to use homekit at all.

- To the best of my ability to understand from Apple's website (Frequently asked questions about iCloud Keychain - Apple Support), "icloud keychain" is a system by which Apple grabs copies of any passwords stored in settings (e.g., any e-mail accounts configured using the iOS e-mail account, any saved passwords using Safari) and keeps them on their servers. (They claim to encrypt these passwords, but that's a meaningless point if they also store the decryption key... which they presumably must if they are able to download the passwords onto another iOS device without me manually entering a key -- that's like saying I have a really strong door with a great lock, but I leave the key sitting next to it for anyone to use.)

- I don't want to give Apple copies of my passwords! That's creepy. And there's no reason they should need to in order to use a simple thermometer (or a remote control light or thermostat or any of the HomeKit use cases I'm familiar with).

 

So am I misunderstanding something? Is there a way to use homekit without giving Apple free rein on my passwords?

 

Thanks!

iPhone 6, iOS 9.2, null

Posted on Jan 1, 2016 9:12 PM

Close
Mike G.

Q: Can I use a homekit device without turning all of my unrelated e-mail passwords over to Apple?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by TristanVS,

    TristanVS TristanVS Mar 16, 2016 2:09 PM in response to Mike G.
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Mar 16, 2016 2:09 PM in response to Mike G.

    Same problem using the Hue lights from phlips. Ever tried to set this up offline? you can only use homekit on one device, not the second only when you enable icloud. But I do not want all documents, account settings online. And defenitly not all my Wifi and login credentials. Why would I? They are my keys not theirs and have nothing to do with sharing homekit settings across devices. And if I already would, with a clean machines, and different appleid/icloud it still won't work because there is no INTERNET available on location. Anyway for the Hue lights there is a workaround because it has it's own bridge, using a pi with a domoticz & homekit bridge installed. Add the Hue in domoticz, setup a scene with a floorplan with all the lights/sensors, set the settings of the homekit bridge, exposes the lights to a second device. Still dirty and I should not have been on this rocky road in the first place if Apple did their job, and stop pushing the whole online thing. I am responsible for my password and keys to my castle, and seeing the recent developments I am not trusting a middle man who has NOTHING to do with my passwords. Still total crap... I not lov'ng it...