Apple limits key AirDrop feature in China after protesters used filesharing feature

A month after reports that anti-government protesters were using the function to distribute digital leaflets to strangers, Apple has restricted filesharing features on iPhones in China.

According to the Thursday upgrade to the AirDrop feature, iPhone users in China can only choose to accept files from people who aren’t their contacts during a 10-minute window before it automatically shuts off. Before, there was no time restriction on the feature. The update practically eliminates the possibility of getting unexpected files from strangers.

【方先生，中国国行的苹果手机16.1.1版本系统加入了隔空投送十分钟分享时间限制，美国版本的苹果手机16.1.1系统无分享时间限制，我自己拿了2个手机升级测试后截图。四通桥勇士彭载舟事件后，苹果公司与中国政府合作，限制中国人的通信自由。】 pic.twitter.com/WoY6PdsZsi

— 方舟子 (@fangshimin) December 1, 2022

The change comes in response to numerous reports of people using AirDrop to disseminate leaflets that were critical of the Chinese Communist party in crowded public areas. This was partially motivated by a protest in Beijing where a man displayed banners calling for the ouster of President Xi Jinping.

Software update that was exclusive to China

Earlier this month, a 9 November update to Apple's global operating system, iOS 16.1.1, added a new AirDrop feature, but it was only applicable to iPhones bought in mainland China.

As a result of the upgrade, iPhones can no longer set AirDrop to receive messages from "everyone" for longer than 10 minutes. File sharing between "contacts only" or "receiving off" is possible using the other settings.

CNBC quoted the business as saying that the software upgrade "includes bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users" in an online statement.

According to Quartz, the change was originally observed by Chinese readers of the fan site 9to5Mac and does not currently affect iPhone users in other nations.

Apple intends to make the upgrade a universal feature starting in 2019, according to Bloomberg.

Calming growing dissent

The release's timing is not insignificant since it comes one month after Xi broke precedent and cleared the way for his third term as China's president. The decision was received with unusual public protests, which served as a warm-up for larger rallies last weekend.

Apple has a history of modifying its goods and offerings to conform with China's stringent regulations. Last year, the company excluded Chinese users from a new feature that was created to increase customers' online privacy. In the meantime, Apple pulled a few virtual private networks (VPN) services from the Chinese App Store in 2017.

Apple's consumer market is expanding, with iPhones making up 16% of all smartphone shipments in China during the most recent quarter, up from 11% a year earlier.

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