We were trying to transfer som photos between two iphone 6 and it did not work until I turned on mobile data for Photos. After doing this it worked, but withing two minutes I received an sms from my carrier saying I had used my monthly quota. Why? Isn't airdrop peer to peer? This is very strange.
iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.2
See this explanation for AirDrop. It uses Bluetooth and wi-fi. If you don't have them both turned on, then it won't work. As far as I know it has always been peer to peer. I've not seen it use any of my mobile data before. How to use AirDrop with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support
WiFi and bluetooth was turned on on both phones. His icon correctly appeared on my phone but transfers didn't start working until after I turned on mobile data. Then my monthly quota went down the drain and almost immediately after receiving the sms telling me it was spent the transfer stalled. Prior to turning on mobile data for photos I got the error message that there was an error preparing for transfer.
How many photos were you trying to transfer? I do not recall ever using data, but I know mine is turned on. I don't see anywhere that says that mobile data is required. Unless someone else has any experience with this, I don't have anything else to offer. I cannot test it from home here, since no one else is home and I have my own wi-fi network here, so it wouldn't matter if I turned off mobile data.
I guess you can wait to see if anyone else has an opinion.
Something else is going on then. I just looked at my own phone. Photos is turned OFF in Cellular (I am in the US) but I still get to AirDrop with my phone regardless. My iPad is not Cellular, Wi-Fi only, but it airdrops without issues as does my Mac.
These articles may help. Look under Troubleshooting on the second one.
This may be of some help and interest. According the the MacWorld article....
AirDrop is an excellent way to share content between two Macs or a Mac and iPhone, or Mac and iPad, in the same vicinity, because it works even if the Macs and iOS devices aren’t connected to the same network. This is because AirDrop creates a quick AdHoc network between the devices, giving you the go-ahead to share files. The AirDrop network is set up when you connect to AirDrop.
This most likely explains why WiFi must be turned on. I know that I have used AirDrop a few times and it was always when I was out my own home, in a public place and not necessarily in a place that had WiFi. I never saw any noticeable use of data and I have Photos turned on in Cellular on my iPhone.
Demo wrote:
This is because AirDrop creates a quick AdHoc network between the devices, giving you the go-ahead to share files. The AirDrop network is set up when you connect to AirDrop.
That was my understanding as well. I have photos turned on, but I've never seen any data used, and I've used it in restaurants and other places where there was no wi-fi.
All true... Airdrop does not require an actual Wi-Fi connection to the Internet. It just requires that Wi-Fi (and BT) be turned ON on the devices as it uses the AdHoc network you mentioned. I have never had a cellular/mobile data issue with airdrop. However since I use it a lot, primarily at home between my phone and Mac, on occasion I have to restart the phone. Sometimes even when the phone is one foot away from the Mac, they will not see each other. A restart tends to resolve.
Why does airdrop work with mobile data turned on?
