Following the release of iOS 16.2, Apple has limited the “Everyone” option in AirDrop to 10 minutes on iPhones for everyone, after which the receiving setting automatically reverts back to “Contacts Only” (via TechCrunch).
Last month, Apple rolled out this restriction after applying the iOS 16.1.1 update exclusively in China, noting that the feature improves the AirDrop experience by helping mitigate unwanted file sharing.
The change was announced amid widespread protests over the Chinese government’s “zero Covid” policy. Protesters had been using AirDrop to instantly share files with one other while avoiding Chinese censors.
Airdrop, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy and peer-to-peer wifi technology to enable instant file transferring, remains one of the few uncensored communication mediums in China, which is why people were using the feature to share politically sensitive content with others in recent weeks as the country’s top leadership reshuffled.
By default, the receiving setting for AirDrop is “Contacts Only.” Users are required to manually change the setting to receive files from “Everyone.”
However, if users forget to switch Airdrop off, they can end up with unsolicited content from unknown users.
With iOS 16.2, AirDrop reverts the setting to “Contacts Only” after 10 minutes in order to prevent unwanted requests to receive content.
The change is being rolled out now to iPhone users worldwide.
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Translation: Chinese government asks Apple to restrict AirDrop and so, of course, Apple does. People complain so Apple’s answer is to limit EVERYONE. Nice.