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China Iphone Apple

Apple Hobbled Protesters' Tool in China Weeks Before Widespread Protests (qz.com) 89

"China's control of the internet has become so strong that dissidents must cling to any crack in the so-called Great Firewall," writes Qz.

But as anti-government protests sprung up on campuses and cities in China over the weekend, Qz reminds us that "the country's most widespread show of public dissent in decades will have to manage without a crucial communication tool, because Apple restricted its use in China earlier this month." AirDrop, the file-sharing feature on iPhones and other Apple devices, has helped protestors in many authoritarian countries evade censorship. That's because AirDrop relies on direct connections between phones, forming a local network of devices that don't need the internet to communicate. People can opt into receiving AirDrops from anyone else with an iPhone nearby.

That changed on Nov. 9, when Apple released a new version of its mobile operating system, iOS 16.1.1, to customers worldwide. Rather than listing new features, as it often does, the company simply said, "This update includes bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users." Hidden in the update was a change that only applies to iPhones sold in mainland China: AirDrop can only be set to receive messages from everyone for 10 minutes, before switching off. There's no longer a way to keep the "everyone" setting on permanently on Chinese iPhones.

The change, first noticed by Chinese readers of 9to5Mac, doesn't apply anywhere else.

Apple didn't respond to questions about the AirDrop change. It plans to make the "Everyone for 10 Minutes" feature a global standard next year, according to Bloomberg.

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Apple Hobbled Protesters' Tool in China Weeks Before Widespread Protests

Comments Filter:
  • How does the phone know that it is a Chinese phone? "sold in China" suggests that it does not use geolocation but perhaps uses something in firmware. If so, I wonder if it is possible to reflash it. This also suggests that it may be possible to get around this by using phones purchased outside China (not that everyone can do this).
    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward

      How about reading TFA instead of worrying about FP?

      Also noted by our readers, this restriction is based on hardware rather than software. This means that only iPhone models purchased in Mainland China are affected by the update. This is not the first time Apple has implemented an iOS restriction based on hardware model. For instance, the Taiwanese flag emoji is not available on iPhones sold in China. Apple also uses the same method to limit the volume level of its devices in European Union countries, as required by law.

      • by NFN_NLN ( 633283 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @12:08AM (#63084388)

        For instance, the Taiwanese flag emoji is not available on iPhones sold in China.

        This is very unexpected.

        > It shouldn't be, China believes Taiwan is blah blah blah... one China policy blah blah cuck cuck

        No, I meant it was unexpected that Apple hasn't bent over to China and eliminated the Taiwanese flag emoji internationally.

      • Actually, I did read it, and asked questions about reflashing and external purchase that the article does not address.
      • by lsllll ( 830002 )
        Corporate greed at its best [testset.io]. When are consumers going to hold lip service accountable?
        • Begs the question, do you really want for profit organizations being our moral mouthpiece? We probably should leave corporations out of it, except to say they need to follow local laws and regulations wherever they chose to operate, and PEOPLE need to be the voice of ethics and morality, including business leaders, but not more so than other citizens.
    • by arbiter1 ( 1204146 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @12:25AM (#63084404)
      There was an article about this in the Dailymail around 2 weeks ago. They set the model number with ID's that will tell if its New, refurb, replace etc. Also in that model number is a Country code at the end which tells you what country that phone is ment to be sold in. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sc... [dailymail.co.uk]
      • So that is useful for anyone who wants to know whether their supposedly brand new phone meant for the UK market is new, refurbished, replacement, and what country it was built for.

        iPhones for different countries are not identical; they have to be different to support different networks.

        Note that the Daily Mail went into full panic mode: The fact that Apple marks refurbished phones in a rather obvious way means you are in danger of getting a refurbished phone instead of a new one according to them - wh
    • by JHutto ( 9556343 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @03:17AM (#63084600)
      As someone who not only works for Apple but also someone who has been a tech nerd since 1983 I can say this with certainty. How does it know it is a Chinese iPhone simple. Each serial number, IMEI, SEID and EID number is either stored on the actual SoC or in the firmware. Each batch of Serial Mumbers, IMEI, SEID and EID are assigned a country or region. Not only that but there are restrictions setup by region and that can be changed to access or restrict features in specific regions.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Impressive. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by zenlessyank ( 748553 ) on Sunday November 27, 2022 @11:52PM (#63084366)

    How many Apple owners appreciate Chinese control? Must really suck, err I mean really be profitable to be a stooge to the Chinese government.

    I'm glad we boycott such companies here in America. O wait.

    • Re:Impressive. (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Bodhammer ( 559311 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @12:23AM (#63084402)
      As an Apple customer, this news is very disappointing and I will seriously evaluate my next purchases based on Apple's behavior. Maybe if Apple and Google censor Twitter, Musk will really build a truly privacy-based phone and there will be a real alternative. https://nypost.com/2022/11/26/... [nypost.com]
      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Maxo-Texas ( 864189 )

        I look forward to using the musk phone as I drive to the hyperloop in my cybertruck that was charged by tesla solar roof panels for my trip to mars.

        Used to believe in the guy. But he's very erratic and I think he's probably needs a 3 month vacation where he gets more than a few hour's a night sleep.

        • Don’t forget your Neurolink implant!
          Yes, I agree with you, it’s like watching NASCAR or MMA, you tell yourself you appreciate the skill, talent, conditioning, etc. but maybe one is just waiting for some real damage that looks good in slow-motion?
          • Why would a Neurolink implant let you remember it's there? Isn't it best tor Neurolink if you're not aware that you've been modified?
            • by jvkjvk ( 102057 )

              Not if it's going to show you ads 24/7 directly into your visual and auditory cortexes. That's not invisible at all. Far from it. And for only $19.99/sec they can stimulate your pleasure centers directly.

        • Even if he is beginning to fly over the coocoo's nest to the point of no return, he did achieve quite a lot before it happened (whether you love or hate what he has done).

        • Re:Impressive. (Score:5, Interesting)

          by davide marney ( 231845 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @07:04AM (#63084824) Journal

          I don't understand all these "I'm so disappointed" reactions to Musk's free speech/laissez-faire value system. It's not like he has been hiding his beliefs. Shoot, he personally stood up to the entire state of California over the closure of the Tesla factor during the very early days of COVID, daring them to come and arrest him. In the end, he moved his entire base of operations to Texas in protest. What did you think he would do with Twitter?

          As a conservative, let me assure you we are under no illusion that Musk is one of us. He clearly is a free-thinker with a mix of beliefs, he's not predictably pro- or con- on any particular topic. What he is, though, is your typical tech dude, very opinionated, believes he has good reasons for what he believes, and only changes his mind when presented with a better argument.

          One of those beliefs is in the power of freedom of speech. On that score, I think it's demonstrably true that he's making a better Twitter, a much more interesting, informative, and yes, entertaining place. There's no need to cry about it, just enjoy the ride and hop on.

          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • Elon Musk only believes in free speech for Elon Musk.

            The latest example, from just today:

            Elon Musk @elonmusk
            Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?
            12:45 AM - Nov 28, 2022 Twitter for iPhone

            https://twitter.com/elonmusk/s... [twitter.com]

            • Yea, he believes in consequence free speech for himself but fires anyone who says something he doesn't like.

          • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

            One of those beliefs is in the power of freedom of speech. On that score, I think it's demonstrably true that he's making a better Twitter, a much more interesting, informative, and yes, entertaining place. There's no need to cry about it, just enjoy the ride and hop on.

            Which explains all the bans from Twitter because people bought Twitter Blue and started impersonating him. Bans for other accounts didn't really happen.

            Sorry, it's not freedom of speech if you're basically banning people you don't like who m

      • Re:Impressive. (Score:4, Insightful)

        by phantomfive ( 622387 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @12:38AM (#63084426) Journal

        Just be aware that phones sold as "privacy phones" often are not [reuters.com].

        • There were at least two events where phones specifically marketed at criminals sent everything home to law enforcement services. And cleverly _before_ messages were encrypted. Sending encrypted messages with decryption keys for example would cause legal problems to use the messages as evidence.
          • Sending encrypted messages with decryption keys for example would cause legal problems to use the messages as evidence.

            Why?

            • It means that law enforcement did some hacking and decrypted encrypted data, and then you have privacy laws that don't allow that. If you have an app, whose development was actually paid for by the FBI, and in sends unencrypted messages to the FBI, then encrypts them and sends them to the requested receiver, they are allowed to use it.

              Now depending on where you stand you will think they either should be allowed or should not be allowed to use these messages as evidence, whether encrypted or not, but they
      • by Anonymous Coward
        any phone built by Musk/Twitter will most certainly NOT be privacy oriented. It will be advertising and selling of your information oriented in the guise of free speech.
      • Snark tag missing?
      • Musk will really build a truly privacy-based phone and there will be a real alternative.

        Yes, because that's what the Saudi-Musk partnership is all about.

        It's about freedom of speech and anti-authoritarianism one dismemberment at a time.

      • by Freischutz ( 4776131 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @03:40AM (#63084622)

        As an Apple customer, this news is very disappointing and I will seriously evaluate my next purchases based on Apple's behavior. Maybe if Apple and Google censor Twitter, Musk will really build a truly privacy-based phone and there will be a real alternative. https://nypost.com/2022/11/26/... [nypost.com]

        Worry not. Apparently Elon Musk is building a freedom smartphone. Since it's Elon building the thing it is guaranteed to feature a near orgasmic user experience full of extra features you can activate through a small and reasonable subscription on a feature by feature basis. Now that Elon's joined the right side of politics (pun intended, let the liberal tears flow) his smartphone will be Starlink based, encrypted, completely private and have a faucet on it that dispenses liberal tears. Furthermore, the way things seem to be evolving with the Apple Appstore and Google Playstore, it will also be the only smartphone on the planet to have the Twitter app. Place your pre-orders now!!!

      • Maybe if Apple and Google censor Twitter, Musk will really build a truly privacy-based phone

        Yeah, and maybe winged primates will engage in aviation activity from my rectal cavity.

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Musk won't make a phone. Don't hold out for him providing you with an alternative.

        He might announce one, but he announces a lot of stuff.

    • The US just banned ZTE and Huawei again. Going back, China has a drive to get locals to buy local (because exports were banned). After this, If one was a local, I would not upgrade my phone, but import one from elsewhere. This move will probably hurt local dealers and industry quite a lot, now the cat is out of the bag. It is moral cowardice to roll in a regional specific restriction, and not declare that on the 'security fix'. Oh wait, they did this for batteries. Lets hope a Chinese national with a cn pho
      • by Budenny ( 888916 )

        No, if you had any sense you would definitely not import one from elsewhere. Why would you do that?

        Think about it.

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Importing a phone won't help. If you import an Android phone it won't work properly, because most Google services are banned. You might as well just get a domestic model and load Lineage and some alternative to Google services. Even if you do that, unless all the other protestors do it, it won't be a lot of help.

        Importing an iPhone won't work either, it will force you to use the Chinese App Store.

        If you had this app installed already, blocking updates or removal probably won't help as the Great Firewall wil

        • If you import an Android phone it won't work properly, because most Google services are banned.

          I guess the word properly is doing the heavy lifting there.
          I've never heard of an Android phone that requires Google services to work properly.
          I've used five Android phones over the years, and have never used any of those Google services. I don't have any Google account.
          You can use an Android phone without Google services for calls and texts, photos, email, calendar, web browsing, mapping, and just about any app out there.

  • I understand that this requirement was obviously politically pressured. However more in general the limitation is not a bad thing. I remember I once got spam airdrops while in the metro, afterwards I switched it to "contacts only".
  • by magusxxx ( 751600 ) <magusxxx_2000NO@SPAMyahoo.com> on Monday November 28, 2022 @02:02AM (#63084518)

    Unless you're in China.

    • You can think different for 10 minutes. Then you go back in line and start work again comrade.

      • Companies always pushed out love, kumbaya, and good fee fees. "Think different" was no different, and the manipulation and emptiness is the same as all the others.

        • Well yeah, that's no secret. Corporations have no mandate other than making money for their shareholders. They have no other purpose, legal or otherwise.

          So you can pretty much assume anything they say or do is said and done to increase profits. Not for the sake of the environment. Not to be nice. Not for morals or decency. Just profits.

          In the case of Apple, "Think different" was bullshit. So was "We care about privacy". Those who believed their privacy bullshit were naive fools who richly deserved to be par

  • Apple plans to roll this out worldwide

    Apple didn't say why the change was implemented only in China, but it did tell Bloomberg that the limitation will be rolled out globally "in the coming year," with the goal to mitigate unwanted file sharing.

    but it's telling they rolled it out in China first.

    • but it did tell Bloomberg that the limitation will be rolled out globally "in the coming year," with the goal to mitigate unwanted file sharing.

      How dumb is the Apple customer persona they are targeting (not necessarily their actual userbase) that they can't manage to simply flick the option over to "contacts only" if this is a problem? Just like the "alternative app stores" discussion, Apple sees their target customer as a nitwit who couldn't even handle being presented with choice because they would overwhelmingly make the wrong one. It doesn't help that they have an army of fanboys and corporate apologists that rush to justify and defend being ch

    • I am betting that they only saying that knowing the PR if they didn't.
  • Didnâ(TM)t Tim Cook say at the 2020 WWDC at the 2:08 mark something about racism, inequality and that Apple is inspired by the passionate people who have stood up to demand change. I guess that is everywhere but China. I am ashamed to say I work for Apple
  • by Malays2 bowman ( 6656916 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @03:33AM (#63084616)

    "You will do this Apple, or things will go very badly for you!"

    This is why forced updating is bad especially in countries with opressive regimes

  • by LainTouko ( 926420 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @03:48AM (#63084636)
    Why do we let corporations get away with damaging the property that millions of people have paid for like this? Those responsible need to be prosecuted for huge numbers of cases of criminal damage, or whatever the local equivalent is in your country.
    • The shittyness of this action aside, no one is owed a specific feature which works in a specific way. You need to be careful what you wish for. Either you pay for a phone hardware and have software as a service with features that vary, can be increased and improved upon, or you buy once, you own the phone *and* the software, forever unchanging. Oh there's a security update that needs to be applied? I hope you bought the $30/month service contract. Oh feature x isn't working? Well for $1000 you can have a ne

    • I'm sure the Chinese government will get right on top of letting the citizens there do that. I'm sure Qatar will let the people barred from wearing rainbow shirts at World Cup matches due the stadium as well.
  • by gnasher719 ( 869701 ) on Monday November 28, 2022 @04:22AM (#63084672)
    The feature will come to Western phones as well and is actually useful.

    Currently there are three modes: Nobody can send through AirDrop, people in your address book can send through AirDrop, anybody can send to your phone through AirDrop. Obviously allows spamming people lets say on the train around you.

    The new feature is allowing everyone to send through AirDrop for 15 minutes. So if you want a picture from my phone, you turn on AirDrop for 15 minutes and I send the photo. That works just fine in China and prevents everyone sending you their dick pictures. Now they _should_ have kept the original setting as well, but apart from that it is actually a useful feature.
  • So Airdrop for all times out after 15 minutes, and you have to re-enable it. So what? That doesn't mean it can't be used, and it can be used for long periods of time, it's just more of a pain to do so now. But *most* of the time you don't want a setting that enables *anyone* to Airdrop you. That's a recipe for spam. It seems like Apple is just trying to make things better for most of their customers, as they say this will be rolled out wider.

  • If a person intentionally wants to receive they can just enable it and be good for 10mins. The time limit actually works well to prevent harassment. There are sick assholes who air drop nude photos in airports/planes. An airplane has before de-boarded all its passenger and found the asshole who did the air dropping. This will wheat them sick people out.
  • Indeed. Can't have them spreading misinformation . . .

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