Source
r/gshock•
hashtagframework

Bluetooth privacy and battery concerns

I've been told you have to install a phone app to make the bluetooth work... how does that install process work? I'm concerned about malicious devices doing bluetooth scans and tracking my location or mimicking the phone app connection protocol to drain my battery.

Worse yet, if I did pair it with the phone app, could a malicious device mimic my watch and get personal info from my phone?

Basically, I really hate that all the new high end G-Shocks have bluetooth built in.

Posted Oct 28, 2019, 3:59 AM UTC

119
SamRHughes•

Yeah, I avoid Bluetooth watches completely, because as a bidirectional communication device, it's yet another security risk in the internet-of-shit, and also, having to install an app on my phone is just stupid, it makes life even more complicated, with no benefit to me.

I didn't even think of getting tracked physically by bluetooth pings, but that's another reason; I don't even want to have to investigate whether that's possible.

I'm basically off the modern G-Shock train because of this. Get a GW-6900BC, get an OCW-S100, get a GA-2000 or GA-2100, and make that your exit watch. Party's over.

5
TacmedRN4•

You worry too much.

You are at a higher risk of identity theft just from using the internet on your phone than you are of something going through Bluetooth, much less “mimicking” your watch.

3
hashtagframeworkOP•

You didn't answer any of my questions.

3
TacmedRN4•

Because your questions are rhetorical.

Any wireless communication puts you at risk for unauthorized access, but the risk is very low. You will have a boring and paranoid life if you worry about every single way someone can steal your identity.

If you buy proven technology and use the devices how they were designed, then enjoy them and enjoy life with them. Stop worrying about unnecessary things.

0
hashtagframeworkOP•

Any wireless communication puts you at risk for unauthorized access

I was specifically asking if any and all wireless communication could be disabled for specifically that purpose. You could have just said you don't know, or not said anything at all.

Many buildings with top security clearance ban these watches. Why? We live in a world where laws had to be written to ban facial recognition technology because a consensus majority objected to it. A pingable bluetooth ID strapped to your wrist all day is the same as your face, but the technology to track it is much cheaper, almost perfectly accurate, and there is no public uproar to make laws to ban it. This isn't paranoia, the tracking technology has already been deployed

I am legitimately curious, and your thoughtless comment storm isn't helping.

3
TacmedRN4•

Your assumptions are waaaaaay off base. You asked a question on a public Internet forum, and I gave you my answer. You don’t have to like it, and you don’t have to keep replying.

You seem like you are just arguing because you had a bad day and need someone to be mad at. Whatever it is, I don’t care. You’re welcome for my input for which you asked.

0
invnote•

If you're so concerned with theoretical malicious third parties, then wait until you read Casio's own End User License Agreement when you install the app!

The good news is that these are really very good standalone watches, and even if the watch is capable of bluetooth smartphone connections, you don't actually need to ever use that functionality.

3
casterofdreams•

None of the Bluetooth enabled watches require the app itself to function. All watches work independently from the phone. You’d miss out on some features or automatic time adjustments (for the watches that don’t have either GOS or Atomic built in) but none require any phone pairing.

As for privacy and battery:

  • the Bluetooth is low power, attempting to connect only for time updates a few times a day, or manually such as using point memory for some of the Gravity Masters. It’s not always connected like a smart watch. You won’t get phone notifications or anything like that. Battery usage is negligible.
  • Privacy wise: hackers have much bigger target vectors to attack your phone than using what is essentially a niche watch and niche app it’s not even worth the trouble to devise a way to get into your phone using the watch or app.

Edit: as you can see by these images, I’m all onboard with Bluetooth watches. https://imgur.com/a/xTqYToU

2
GuardianP53•

Once you do the initial set up, you can always uninstall the app or disconnect/forget the watch from the app, then reconnect in furutre when u need to tweak the settings again.

1
jeffwhat•

Kind of defeats the point of the feature though. It syncs with the app 4 times a day (BT priority over multiband). The BT sync was a selling point for me, since I normally get almost no radio signal.

1