Apple plans to expand AirDrop time limit to customers worldwide

Apple's 10-minute AirDrop setting time limit that it is testing in China will eventually expand to every user.

Late Wednesday night, a report revealed that Apple is adding a limitation for customers in China. In the iOS 16.1.1 update and iOS 16.2 developer beta, the company added a ten-minute restriction for sharing materials through AirDrop using the "Everyone" setting.

Apple allegedly cooperated with the Chinese government to impede protesters who may share anti-government materials. However, the company didn't announce the change or comment on it publicly.

Now though, Bloomberg says the new limitation will eventually roll out to all Apple customers worldwide.

Leaving AirDrop set to "Everyone" means that anyone within range of an Apple user can wirelessly send them files. The device will then present a pop-up window asking the user to accept or deny the file-sharing request.

Protesters have used the feature to their advantage in the past. For example, in 2019, protesters in Hong Kong reportedly used AirDrop to distribute digital pamphlets about an extradition bill.

21 Comments

ihatescreennames 1971 comments · 19 Years

About 2 years ago

Admittedly, I haven’t tried lately, but whenever I set AirDrop to “Contacts Only” it never worked. It only worked for me when set to “Everyone”. As such, I leave it on “Everyone” and don’t have issues. I use AirDrop frequently, too, and really like it.

shamino 540 comments · 17 Years

Before jumping into "Apple is taking orders from the Chinese government" theories, there may be other perfectly reasonable reasons for this change. Like, for instance, the fact that AirDrop has been used as a medium for sending obscene images to strangers. Some news stories:

By preventing phones from being set to "Everyone" at all times, you block most of this, since the attackers will only be able to send to people who already have him in their contacts list.

FWIW, I leave my devices set to "Contacts Only" precisely because I don't want any possibility of a stranger sending me anything. I can share content with my friends and relatives, and that's plenty.

danox 3385 comments · 11 Years

If AirDrop disappears for direct wired transfers between Mac’s, iPhone’s, and iPads only it would not be a lost. Works intermittently.

indieshack 336 comments · 9 Years

ihatescreennames said:

Admittedly, I haven’t tried lately, but whenever I set AirDrop to “Contacts Only” it never worked. It only worked for me when set to “Everyone”. As such, I leave it on “Everyone” and don’t have issues. I use AirDrop frequently, too, and really like it.

This, AirDrop’s been very useful over the years. I also need to set it to “everyone”