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Comment by sneak | Hacker News Reader

> First, you need to get the iPad and Mac relatively close to each other. Universal Control is built off the same Continuity and Handoff features that have long been a part of iOS and macOS.

Bummer. This means that this will be an iCloud-only feature, most likely. (Apple seems to have no reluctance to this, as HomePods also require iCloud to set them up.)

More pushes toward Apple services. :( It would be nice if I could use the full features of the OS/hardware I bought without having to engage with the privacy nightmare that is Apple's approach to network services.

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it's how they verify that you own it. You can't just go trying to nose your mouse into someone else's iPad at a coffee shop (universal control works at up to 30ft range)

Of course they could always add something like PIN/QR code/plugging the iPad into the MacBook for local connections - but that will never happen with an Apple that prioritizes simplicity over functionality.

I'd much rather not have to stop to type in a pin on my own devices.

I mean I don't know why people get so upset about this sort of thing. People who own two recent model apple devices and want to use them together like this definitely have iCloud accounts and are signed in to them. I don't know why someone who doesn't want to use apple services would have the hardware.

The problem is more subtle than just authorisation.. you need some way to 'group' machines on a network.

If you just use LAN broadcast/discovery, and you want things to be automatic, then multiple users on the same network end up snuffling their way in to your mouse sharing configuration or you're bombarded with requests to connect.

A pairing mode would solve this but then you have to train users to set it up, it's not "seamless", and Apple wouldn't have been able to do the cool demo.

Synergy 2 used a cloud approach to pairing for the same reason

This type of iCloud usage does not require subscribing to any services. It is just the basic integration that allows authentication. Otherwise you are wide open to random people.

Yes it requires iCloud.

Amen, I have no idea why you'd need iCloud to use... wireless KVM.

Authentication and authorization.

It allows for file transfers via drag and drop - pretty sure it uses iCloud as the data cache inbetween.

FTP is totally usable for this, using iCloud as a cache would add so much latency that it would be unusable.

Why would it use iCloud for this rather than just pushing the files directly over bluetooth like Airdrop?

AirDrop uses Wi-Fi.

iCloud is used for two reasons: one, because it is existing infrastructure for sharing secret keys between Apple devices used by a single owner (and is thus "free" from a development standpoint for Apple), as well as the fact that more iCloud-only features tends users into opting in to iCloud, which eventually drives increased Apple services revenue via expanded paid service usage as well as lock-in to keep users using those paid services over time.

The HomePods work this way, too. You can't just connect them to Wi-Fi and use them via AirPlay 2, you must have an iCloud account to attach them to your LAN.

Does it use wifi? then how was it that people were air-dropping photos to random people on the NYC subway?

Do you want random other people nearby being able to try to connect?

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