A recent change introduced by Apple has enforced a time limit for AirDrop sharing in mainland China. Users of the region can no longer keep the AirDrop function enabled for everyone, including unknown contacts, indefinitely. The new limit caps the window in which users can transfer files wirelessly to 10 minutes. Earlier, there was no such time limit.
The change comes amid the release of iOS 16.1.1 to the public and iOS 16.2 beta 2 released to developers. Some iPhone users suggest that the decision to impose restrictions on AirDrop’s wireless sharing capability in China is connected to the ongoing protests in China. Many users in the country were leveraging this feature to circulate posters criticizing Xi Jinping’s government.
It"s not the first time Apple has introduced such region-specific restrictions. The Cupertino-giant had previously implemented similar iOS restrictions based on the hardware model in Taiwan. Then, it removed the Taiwanese flag emoji from iPhones sold in China.
For users unaware, AirDrop is an instant file-sharing function on Apple devices that transfers information wirelessly. For it to work, both, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth must be turned on, and the user should be signed in with their Apple ID. Transfers are encrypted for security.
Source: 9to5Mac | Image: Apple Support