Bluetooth, AirDrop and such file-sharing services are crucial tools in China, where the so-called Great Firewall has resulted in one of the mostly tightly-controlled internet regimes. In recent years, anti-government protesters have often turned to AirDrop to organise and share their political demands. For instance, some activists were sharing anti-Xi Jinping posters using this tool on the Shanghai subway last October - just as the Chinese president was awaiting a historic third term as the country’s leader.
Apple has repeatedly given in to Chinese government’s invasive policies, despite all their marketing on “privacy”; because China is a huge market for them. As much as I hate google for most of their practices, they have the basic decency to volunteeringly leave China when their regulations is against the company value.
> China is a huge market for them
Yes, and don’t forget that Apple still depends on Chinese factories to assemble its iPhone devices.