With the rollout of iOS 16.1.1 for all of its users, Apple also launched its new "Everyone for 10 Minutes" feature that limits AirDrop to working for at most 10 minutes.
This option dropped in China, following an event where protesters used AirDrop to distribute anti-government materials, Mac Rumors reports.
Users In China Can Not Keep AirDrop For Everyone On For Unlimited Time Anymore
Apple switched its AirDrop sharing for "Everyone" option to "Everyone for 10 Minutes" in devices for users in China with the release of iOS 16.1.1 and iOS 16.2 beta 2.
This means that the company capped off its users' AirDrop sharing time for everyone at only 10 minutes, contrary to its previously unlimited sharing time.
While this update is only temporarily affecting all hardware and software purchased in Mainland China, Apple says that it plans to rollout this feature globally in the future.
According to Mar Rumors, this is an effort to reduce the unwanted file-sharing user experience, especially in crowded places like airplanes and shopping malls.
Since AirDrop was launched in 2011, numerous reports have been filed by iPhone users, stating that they have been sent inappropriate photos or have been pranked by strangers through the feature.
9to5 Mac reports that it is still unclear why the company decided to limit the "Everyone" option to 10 minutes, but it is suspected that it is to prevent critics from spreading propaganda against the Chinese government.
It is important to note that this is not the first time Apple implemented an iOS restriction on Chinese hardware models, as it previously took out the Taiwanese flag from its emojis in the country.
According to Engadget, because of this, the tech giant has been criticized in the past for complying to limit dissent in China to remain in good graces with the country.
AirDrop has played a major role in the public's denouncement of the government and Xi Jinping's rule in China, and in sharing stories of police brutality during the Hong Kong protests.
China Plays An Important Role In Apple's Economic Growth
According to The Guardian, Apple's CEO of Strategy Risks Isaac Stone Fish says that the company understands the risk in the way the company chooses to treat its relationship with China moving forward.
It can be remembered that in 2020, Apple has faced threats of being boycotted in China when the tensions were high between Beijing and the US after Washington blocked Chinese apps.
Despite this, Apple remains the leading phone brand in the country, ahead of local rivals like Huawei and Oppo, according to Tech Crunch.
In the pandemic alone, Apple's business in China grew in a short amount of time with operating profits soaring up to 104%, amounting to $31.2 billion in 24 months.
Apple Insider also notes that China is also Apple's biggest manufacturer, with the company relying on the country for massive production capacities.
In maintaining a good relationship with China, the tech giant continues to dominate the Chinese markets, keeping its global edge over the rest of its competitors.
