Apple to rollout new “Everyone for 10 Minutes” AirDrop setting next year
Apple is planning to release a new AirDrop setting in the coming year which aims to tackle spam by limiting the duration that users are able to AirDrop to devices that are not saved in their Contacts.
As reported by 9to5Mac, iOS 16.1.1 and Apple’s iOS 16.2 beta in China includes a new “Everyone for 10 Minutes” setting for AirDrop, which is said to have been introduced in the country after anti-government material was recently spread by protesters using AirDrop.
Following the discovery, Apple has confirmed to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman that it plans to introduce the “Everyone for 10 Minutes” setting globally beginning next year, replacing the existing “Everyone” option.
With the “Everyone for 10 Minutes” setting enabled, devices will receive AirDrop requests from any device for up to 10 minutes. After 10 minutes has been reached, AirDrop will automatically default to the “Contacts Only” option, with users having to manually switch back to “Everyone for 10 Minutes” if they wish to continue to receive AirDrop requests from devices not saved as a contact for a further 10 minutes.