In recent hours, the news has spread of the limitation or new update of AirDrop to 10 minutes or as it will be known on mobile devices “Everyone for 10 minutes”, this has confused some users, especially in China.
Apple today released iOS 16.1.1 for all users. Although no new features or major changes are mentioned in the release notes, there is an important news for users in China right now.
For those unfamiliar with AirDrop, it’s an Apple service that allows you to transfer files between compatible computers and iOS devices over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth without using email or a mass storage device.
On Wednesday night it was reported that Apple was imposing a restriction on customers from China.
The iOS 16.1.1 update and iOS 16.2 beta added a new “Everyone for 10 minutes” setting for AirDrop in China, limiting the amount of time iPhone users can wirelessly receive files from strangers.
Apparently, Apple has been working with the Chinese government to prevent protesters from sharing documents critical of the government. However, the company has not publicly announced or commented on this decision.
Apple’s 10-minute restriction on AirDrop, which is being tested in China, is based on hardware and not software. This means that for now only iPhone models purchased in mainland China are affected by the update, which will roll out to all users at a later date.
AirDrop generally offers three options, including “Receive Disabled”, “Contacts Only”, and “Everyone”. When the “Everyone” option is selected, any other iPhone user in the vicinity can try to send a file via AirDrop.
This will display a popup on the screen with the option to accept or decline the file transfer, with no time limit.
If you set AirDrop to “Anyone”, anyone within range of an Apple user can send files wirelessly. The device will then display a pop-up window asking the user to accept or decline the file sharing request.
In China, Apple has replaced the “Everyone” option with “Everyone for 10 minutes”, which is limited to 10 minutes. After this time, AirDrop automatically switches to the “Contacts Only” option.
However, Apple has told Mark Gurman that it plans to roll out the new AirDrop setting globally next year, as previously reported, to reduce spam file sharing.
Since the feature was introduced in 2011, some iPhone users have received inappropriate photos or been tricked by strangers via AirDrop, especially in crowded places like shopping malls and airplanes.
In past protests, AirDrop has been used for the benefit of the masses. Such was the case in Hong Kong in 2019, where protesters allegedly used AirDrop to distribute digital flyers about an extradition bill.
It’s unclear when this setting will be available in other countries, or if Apple will allow users to customize the time limit in the future.
In terms of security, this will be beneficial to many, especially those who forget to disable certain settings on their devices after use. We hope that this update will help many people and make their lives easier.
