With iOS 16.1.1, Apple has restricted the window throughout which iPhone customers can obtain AirDrop information from non-contacts in China. The transfer comes after Chinese language protesters used AirDrop to unfold anti-government pictures to different iPhone customers.

At present, you possibly can settle for AirDrop from iPhone customers not in your phonebook for 10 minutes. After that, your telephone will solely stay discoverable to your contacts.

Apple limits AirDrop’s visibility to 10-minute for non-contacts

For now, the 10-minute window restrict is just for iPhones bought in China. Nonetheless, a Bloomberg report claims Apple intends to vary this conduct globally subsequent 12 months. The ten-minute restriction can be part of iOS 16.2 beta 2 that dropped earlier this week.

AirDrop permits iPhone, iPad, and Mac customers to seamlessly switch information between gadgets. To this point, the characteristic has labored on all Apple gadgets with none further steps. This tweak in AirDrop’s discoverability will change that. iPhone customers must manually flip AirDrop on earlier than they will settle for information from different Apple customers who will not be of their phonebook.

There was no announcement from Apple about this transformation, together with within the official iOS 16.1.1 launch notes. That solely talks about bug fixes and safety updates.

The change may make AirDrop safer to make use of

Whereas an added step, it ought to make AirDrop safer and forestall customers with malicious intent from discreetly sharing information with different non-suspecting iPhone homeowners. When wanted, you possibly can shortly change AirDrop’s visibility to everybody out of your iPhone’s Management Heart.

It may very well be that the Cupertino large made this transformation following stress from the Chinese language management. This isn’t the primary time the iPhone maker has tweaked an iOS setting or conduct to profit or please the Chinese language authorities.