Ask HN: What is used for pairing Apple Watch

[dmitryame]

Does anyone know what method is used for pairing Apple Watch? I've used QR image in the past to make sure that 2 mobile devices are physically located close to each other. The issue with QR code is that it can be screenshotted and emailed far away. Apple Watch generates some video that looks like white tv noise that needs to be scanned by a phone cam which is much more reliable than QR code. So, what is it and is it available for the developers to use in form of framework or library?

[Arelius]

It's undoubtedly a very custom implementation. And it seems very likely that at least with video, it's vulnerable in the same way that QR codes are to remote pairing. It seems that fundamentally trying to limit pairing to devices that are close using some sort of optical system is prone to exploitation. Is there a reason this is essential? Can you add something else to verify the devices are in proximity? such as Bluetooth?

[dmitryame → Arelius]

> using some sort of optical system is prone to exploitation

I would disagree with this statement. If you encode the time stamp (and or geo coordinates) as part of the video, it would be nearly impossible to ship it off remotely.

[DiabloD3]

I am upvoting this because I was unaware Apple Watch used anything but standard Bluetooth pairing techniques. Since I'm not an iPhone user, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGSseon3C9w seems to be a somewhat okay video of the pairing process, and I have to admit, that looks kinda cool, but waaay over-engineered for the process.

[joezydeco → DiabloD3]

The "hold to the camera" thing looks like it's just for show, but it also makes sure the watch is close enough to the phone for pairing to happen. It also provides a little bit of visual feedback. One of those little Apple touches that adds to the feeling you get when you unbox their products.

The iOS pairing procedure for the 3rd gen AppleTV asks you to tap the phone to the ATV to pair it. The tapping doesn't do anything, it's only the proximity that matters.

http://www.imore.com/how-wirelessly-set-3rd-gen-apple-tv-any...

[dmitryame → joezydeco]

so, you don't think the white noise video encodes any information about the device being paired and is actually pre-recorded and is exactly the same for every pairing process. In other words, if you you try to pair two sets of devices in the same room at exactly the same time -- it would get confused?

[joezydeco → dmitryame]

It would probably get confused, or whatever watch can communicate with the phone first would be paired and the other would just time out.

Nothing in that video looks like the camera is facing the watch long enough to capture any important data. It might be watching for the <BACK and (I) icons on the screen just to hold off showing the sync video until the watch is in-hand.

[dmitryame → joezydeco]

it actually took me good 15-20 seconds or so to pair up (holding a camera pointing at the watch), that's why I made an assumption there is some encoding/decoding going on.

[KiDD]

BLE