“As much as there is concern about collecting contact information without permission, I’m not too concerned,” he said.
Here’s what you need to know:
How does NameDrop work?
To use this feature, Apple users need to update their devices to the latest version of the operating system – iOS 17.1 for iPhone or watchOS 10.1 for Apple Watch, with the feature enabled by default.
Users hold one device a few centimeters above the other until NameDrop appears on both screens. They may then choose to exchange contact information, or one may receive contact information from the other without reciprocating. The transfer process can be canceled by removing the device or locking the screen before the transfer process is complete.
NameDrop works similarly to AirDrop, allowing Apple laptop, iPhone and iPad users to share photos as long as they are within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range. But while some people used the feature in its early days to harass unsuspecting strangers with candid photos, using NameDrop to send unsolicited information or obtain personal information without consent seems very difficult, if not impossible.
Even if someone activates NameDrop on an iPhone, the phone must be in the middle of touching another device for the feature to work, and both users must still agree to share. However, the details that users have added to their contact cards are shared.
