[lawnchair_larry]

I agree that they should be open, but there are some advantages to the current model besides vendor lock-in.

Requiring a device certificate to communicate puts a pretty high bar on the integrity of the system. Being closed also allows unrestricted innovation at a faster pace.

It’s very difficult to add features once an open standard is out. Just look at the evolution of the major web browsers for example.

[rtkwe]

> Being closed also allows unrestricted innovation at a faster pace.

Theoretically but has there been any new actual development in AirDrop though? From the outside it seems like it's been the same since it was released but my only Apple device is my iPad Pro so I don't really have a use for it.

[azinman2]

Never assume things are static. Or will remain static, just because it might seem like that from the outside.

[rtkwe]

Yes but it's been out for 8 years surely if it being closed allowed quicker development we would have seen something visible from the outside in that time.