If you're that worried about software being that devious, then you probably shouldn't be using that software at all, regardless of your ability to monitor its traffic.
this isn't solely about the aspect you're hinting at: plenty of smart appliances are effectively useless/inoperarive if not interacted with with their accompanying proprietary (shitty) smartphone app. Developing an alternative app requires reverse engineering; that's when you realize the current state of the art is obfuscating and encrypting each and every network layer even for gadgets as mundane as an RGB mood light.
