A change in the iOS 16.1.1 update for Chinese users is turning some heads. Apple is restricting the “Everyone” option in AirDrop to ten minutes on iPhones purchased in mainland China, according to online user reports. That means people can no longer keep their Airdrop on for an unlimited time, including for strangers and contacts.
Some argue that this feature should have long been an option for all Apple users — sometimes one just forgets to switch Airdrop off and end up with unsolicited content from unknown users — but others interpret the decision as Apple’s response to recent incidents in China.
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 ot …
