In OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple added a new file-sharing feature called AirDrop that let you easily share files with other Mac users nearby—specifically, those with recent Macs running Lion that were connected to the same local network. Though AirDrop wasn't (and still isn't) effortless, it's a convenient option for sharing data with people in close proximity.
In iOS 7, Apple has brought a version of AirDrop to all iPhone 5 models, the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini, and fifth-generation iPod touch models. You also need an iCloud account. Assuming you meet those requirements, you'll be able to use AirDrop to share data with people nearby whose devices also fit the bill.
Out of the box, iOS 7 offers AirDrop as a way to share photos in the Photos app, contact cards in the Contacts app, notes in the Notes app, URLs in Safari, Passbook passes, app listings on the App Store, media listings in iTunes, and stations in iTunes Radio, to name a few examples. Once third-party developers start integrating AirDrop sharing, you'll also start to see the feature in many other apps.
Configure AirDrop
Though using AirDrop is simple, there are a few settings you can tweak to customize how the feature works. For starters, when you access iOS 7's Control Center and tap the AirDrop item, you can choose whether your device is discoverable (that is, visible to other AirDrop users) to everyone, just people listed in your contacts, or no one. Note that the Contacts Only setting requires that you be logged in to your iCloud account (in the iCloud screen of Settings), as AirDrop uses your iCloud-synced contacts list. In addition, your device must include the other device's primary Apple ID in his or her contact record.
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