Chinese authorities claim to have found a solution to identify users of AirDrop, an encrypted feature on Apple phones that basically allows content to be shared anonymously with another nearby device from the brand.
China already closely monitors its media and internet, subjecting it to censorship of content that portrays state policies in a poor light or is likely to cause unrest.
To avoid censorship, an iPhone could provide a loophole via the AirDrop function, which also works without the Internet. In particular, it made it possible to send critical slogans against the ruling Communist Party via telephones after a rare demonstration in Beijing in October 2022.
Apple, whose main market is China, has since taken steps to restrict this feature.
The judicial authorities of the Beijing municipal government assured on Monday that a local institute had managed to crack the AirDrop encryption.
This effort puts an end to anonymity and, according to authorities, allows the number of the sending device, the phone number of its owner and its email address to be determined.
The AFP could not independently verify these claims.
The authorities' press release does not indicate whether this technique has resulted in any arrests or convictions for sharing illegal content.
Since 2022, all iPhones sold in China automatically disable the AirDrop option after 10 minutes. This measure dramatically reduces the likelihood of unexpectedly receiving files from strangers and therefore potentially sensitive messages exchanged without censorship.
This restriction has since been extended to Apple devices in the rest of the world.
Apple products, from the iPhone to the iPad, are very popular in China, one of the American company's main markets outside the United States.
The Apple brand has always refrained from taking a stand on sensitive issues or insulting China's power. The CEO was received several times by high-ranking officials, such as a head of state.
In 2019, Apple came under fire from the official press for approving an application in Hong Kong that allowed police officers to be located on a map. That service has been criticized as the area has been rocked by huge pro-democracy demonstrations.