iOS 11

[danno50]

I take it you are signed into iCloud on your Mac. You can check in the Apple Menu>System Preferences>iCloud. Also look in Messages>Preferences>Accounts. You can see if your Account is enabled and the phone number should show at the bottom of that window.

I just checked my system preferences and was very surprised to find out I am signed into iCloud on my Mac. Checking in messages>preferences>accounts, my account is enabled and my phone number shows up. My contacts are synced, surprise to me. All apps were turned on to store data on iCloud, I turned them all off. I honestly do not remember ever signing up for iCloud on my Mac, but the facts seem to show otherwise. Not sure yet how I am going to proceed?

 

[MacInWin]

Just give the password when asked for it. You are using iCloud and your iPhone wants to connect. Let it. At least the messages will (mostly) stop.

 

[danno50]

@danno50,

I have a great deal of respect for your views and the irritation you experience every time you get asked to enter a Password which is the portal to a ream of services you don't want.

I see few solutions to this:

1. You could just enter it once and get on with doing things your way - though I can't promise that you won't be asked for the PW again in the future.

Do remember that signing in to the iCloud ecosystem doesn't commit you to syncing anything. You could just go into Settings > Tap on you name at the top > Tap on iCloud and that will show you all the "APPS USING ICLOUD". You can turn every one of them off if that's what you desire.

2. iPhones are expensive and if your needs are limited to phone calls and texts - you say it can receive email but you don't read it on the iPhone nor open attachments (I don't blame you - you need the eyes of a hawk) - well then, why not sell the iPhone, or give it away to a family friend; and buy the simplest, cheapest phone you can find. Calls and texts, ignore the rest.

3. You could learn how iCloud works and get the best out of it - masses of videos on YouTube to help with this.

4. You could have fun trying out the camera which takes videos as well as photos - sync them or otherwise transfer them to your Mac and play with the editing options. With grandchildren, this could be a lot of fun.

5. Then there's music - perhaps less of a turn on for you but......

Just a few thoughts.

Ian

1. There were only a few apps (mostly ones I don't use anyway) that were shown as using iCloud. I did turn them all off. Now that I know that I am signed into iCloud on my Mac, your suggestion of signing in on my iPhone might be the most logical thing to do?
2. I have also been giving this some consideration. However, my son and his family (my two youngest grandchildren) live overseas and the iMessage is a very convenient way to communicate with them.
3. I should probably take this advice and at least learn about how iCloud works even if I decide not to use it.
4. Might have to try this.
5. I listen to a lot of music, however, with CDs or LPs on my home stereo, which still has 4 big speakers.

Thanks
Dan

 

[danno50]

Thanks to everyone who has helped open my eyes and give advice: Jake, Rod Sprague, chscag, Ian and Dennis. I gave rep to everyone that the forum would let me. I have been striving to maintain as little web presence as possible, however, it is obvious that we are living in a world where we are all being constantly tracked, by the corporations that control the world and also the governments that would like us to believe that they control the world. I will definitely use the YouTube videos to learn more about iCloud.
Thanks
Dan

 

[chscag]

Glad to be of service Dan. You're always welcome here to ask questions and gain information. Have fun.

 

[MacInWin]

Glad we could help. No all internet uses are that invasive. Apple encrypts most things, and has been very resistant to governmental efforts at lookin at your data. Since you use Messages, you are already using the iCloud services, so there is really no reason not to let your iPhone join in the fun, too.

 

[Rod]

Ditto to that, Dan, you are very welcome. My son who works in the music industry and does a lot of online stuff says that if you are online you have an online presence it's unavoidable, you just have to tread carefully. So much information about us is public domain anyway but we don't have to make it easy for criminals or hackers by flaunting our info in insecure places.
I have had an iCloud account since inception and an iCloud email address neither of which have ever been hacked to my knowledge.
You might be interested in this site; https://www.troyhunt.com/have-i-been-pwned-is-now-partnering-with-1password/

 

[Cr00zng]

Ditto to that, Dan, you are very welcome. My son who works in the music industry and does a lot of online stuff says that if you are online you have an online presence it's unavoidable, you just have to tread carefully. So much information about us is public domain anyway but we don't have to make it easy for criminals or hackers by flaunting our info in insecure places.
I have had an iCloud account since inception and an iCloud email address neither of which have ever been hacked to my knowledge.
You might be interested in this site; https://www.troyhunt.com/have-i-been-pwned-is-now-partnering-with-1password/

I'd add that most of the information had been provided by end users voluntarily and increasingly, more and more off-line information make it to data brokers from various sources. So, no, even people being off-line does not exempt their data from the cyberspace. For example, Google can track your brick and mortar store purchases, quote:

The search giant is looking to change that by associating online ads with purchases in the real world — your purchases. Google has partnered with companies responsible for tracking purchase data, which gives it access to about 70 percent of all US credit and debit card transactions. This all comes off as a little creepy, but Google is adamant that it’s not creepy at all.

Yeah, it's not creepy, we get it...

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