Apple Expanding 10-Minute 'Everyone' AirDrop Limit to All Users With iOS 16.2

[MacRumors]

With the launch of iOS 16.2, Apple is expanding an AirDrop limitation that was introduced in China with the launch of iOS 16.1.1. Going forward, AirDrop will be primarily restricted to Contacts Only, and the option to turn on AirDrop for "Everyone" will be limited to 10 minutes.

Right now, AirDrop has three options: "Receiving Off," "Contacts Only," and "Everyone." The current "Everyone" option allows users to receive files and photos from all other iPhone users that are in close proximity using AirDrop, but in iOS 16.2, it is changing to "Everyone for 10 Minutes."

With the change, "Everyone" can still be enabled to allow users to receive content from anyone, but it will switch off after a 10 minute period, reverting to "Contacts Only." The tweak will require users to explicitly activate AirDrop to receive files and photos from strangers.

Apple allegedly made this change in China in the iOS 16.1.1 update after protestors in the country used AirDrop to spread anti-government material. Apple said that the feature was actually introduced in an effort to cut down on spam content spread in crowded areas like malls and airports.

Article Link: Apple Expanding 10-Minute 'Everyone' AirDrop Limit to All Users With iOS 16.2

 

[MayaUser]

Thats nice and safe, often people forget that option on
Kind of late since we are late 2022, but still good to see it coming

 

[HeavenDynamic]

Politics put aside, this is actually a welcome change.

 

[keithdoc]

It's only OFF for me, unless I turn it on - like the time limited function.

Does anyone know . . . if this is the "news" that's being reported out of china? Does the localized version remove airdrop functionality, or just adds the 10 minute for everyone option?

 

[Canezmd]

I guess it worked so well for suppression in China, they're gonna expand it to the world.

Otherwise, why not leave the option for "everyone" like it's been since the beginning.

You can always add the time limit as an "option".

 

[racerhomie]

And people were actually thinking this was used to thwart protests.It was always set to contacts only by default and people used it to spread porn,spam and graphic images. In China those who want these unknown files can set to everyone for 10 minutes.

 

[appleguy123]

I prefer to leave mine on for convenience. I’ve never had anything bad happen ever. Annoying that this convenient feature is being taken away.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Seems Apple listening to it's users .............. not but a quick response from a government and the fix is done

 

[GMShadow]

In March 2022 a flight between Seattle and Orlando was detained on the runway at Orlando International Airport until police decided a hijack threat was "not credible" – a 10-year-old child onboard the plane AirDropped a threat to another passenger, who alerted the crew.[27]

In May 2022, an AnadoluJet flight between Israel and Turkey was deboarded after Israeli users used AirDrop to share pictures of a Turkish airline crash, leading to at least one injury to a passenger. After a search of the luggage, the flight was reboarded and resumed its trip some hours later.[28]

In June 2022, a man on a Southwest flight reportedly AirDropped a sexually explicit photo to all passengers — leading to police waiting to escort him off the plane upon his arrival.[29]

In July 2022, an 18-year-old Spanish man flying from Rome to Alicante, airdropped some pictures of skulls and a generic menace in Aramaic to some of the passengers, before take off. As the crew was informed and the captain asked for police intervention, the flight left with a two hour delay and the young man was charged with procuring an alarm.[30]

In late August 2022, a man on an airplane that was taxiing for take off AirDropped nude photos of himself to others on the Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Cabo San Lucas. When a passenger reported this to the flight crew, the pilot announced that if this didn't stop he would return to the gate, which would ruin their vacations and the activity stopped

Honestly, I'm surprised the FAA and others didn't push for this sooner. Seems like the abuse had really picked up over the last few years.

 

[Juicy Box]

Apple should’ve done this for everyone at the start.

At least then, it wouldn’t have made it appear that Apple is in the CCP’s pocket.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

this is so annoying . why not leave an always on option ? typical apple

 

[racerhomie]

I guess it worked so well for suppression in China, they're gonna expand it to the world.

Otherwise, why not leave the option for "everyone" like it's been since the beginning.

You can always add the time limit as an "option".

Then people would leave it on for everyone,then get porn and graphic images from strangers.Then they would sue Apple for not ‘protecting’ them like AirTags case

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

I always leave mine on but I guess "Everyone for 10 minutes" will save me some battery life. It's a win/win for now.

 

[racerhomie]

this is so annoying . why not leave an always on option ? typical apple

People would set it to everyone then, complain and sue Apple when they receive porn,graphic images and spam

 

[Tunic]

I think it is a welcome change for the spam reason, but if you really think it's just a coincidence they rolled it out in China first - at that specific time - then, I don't know what else to tell you...

 

[DeepIn2U]

Thats nice and safe, often people forget that option on
Kind of late since we are late 2022, but still good to see it coming

Man I wanted to pic-bomb fake bus passes lol.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

People would set it to everyone then, complain and sue Apple when they receive porn,graphic images and spam

i get that . still annoying, for me at least. having to enable it everytime i want a student to send me a file is annoying

 

[Botts85]

I always leave mine on but I guess "Everyone for 10 minutes" will save me some battery life. It's a win/win for now.

Will it? Your wifi and bluetooth chips are still active. I'd be interesting to see if it any reduction in power usage from this is meaningful at all.

People would set it to everyone then, complain and sue Apple when they receive porn,graphic images and spam

At some point, hopefully, we can get back to a world where personal responsibility means something.
Set the default to off, then if you choose "Everyone, all the time." that's on you.

Personally, I'd just set it to everyone, all the time. AirDrop doesn't even show you previews of files from strangers until you accept now.

 

[techpr]

Finally I will not see anymore my neighbors iPhone / iPad / Mac on the Airdrop list when I Airdrop something

 

[racerhomie]

i get that . still annoying, for me at least. having to enable it everytime i want a student to send me a file is annoying

yeah, I think it’s better than the alternative of getting something graphic from a stranger. If you want always receiving use email or iMessage. If it’s a huge 100gb file, I think it should get enough attention to go to control center and Haptic Touch and enable to everyone for 10 mins

 

[Macintosh Quadra 840av]

Too many people abusing the old 'Everyone' setting, myself included. Look at the viral TikTok videos of people AirDropping inappropriate photos to everyone on an airplane. It's stuff like that which made Apple make this move.

 

[mrat93]

I guess it worked so well for suppression in China, they're gonna expand it to the world.

Otherwise, why not leave the option for "everyone" like it's been since the beginning.

You can always add the time limit as an "option".

yes because Apple’s goal here is worldwide information suppression, and this is not an example of Apple (again) catering to the CCP because it’s financially beneficial for them.

\s

 

[racerhomie]

Will it? Your wifi and bluetooth chips are still active. I'd be interesting to see if it any reduction in power usage from this is meaningful at all.

At some point, hopefully, we can get back to a world where personal responsibility means something.
Set the default to off, then if you choose "Everyone, all the time." that's on you.

Personally, I'd just set it to everyone, all the time. AirDrop doesn't even show you previews of files from strangers until you accept now.

Apple just doesn’t want lawsuits with this. That’s why they changed the preview option previously

 

[iSuzan]

Never had any problems with AirDrop for everyone turned on.

But I am not sure if I like or hate this move from Apple. Of course it would be better to let the user decide. But hey.. that is Apple.

 

[racerhomie]

Never had any problems with AirDrop for everyone turned on.

But I am not sure if I like or hate this move from Apple. Of course it would be better to let the user decide. But hey.. that is Apple.

you are lucky you never received any child porn or graph image yet. i thank Apple for doing this