The Mystery of Unexpected Texts: Can Proximity Reveal Phone Numbers on iPhones?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you thought you lost contact with someone after a date, only to receive a message from them later on? This recently happened to me, and it left me wondering about the possibilities of technology, especially with regard to iPhones.

Last night, I went on a date with someone I met through Bumble. At the end of our evening together, he offered his phone number, but in the excitement of the moment, I didn’t save it or send him a message. We had only interacted through the dating app up until that point. Imagine my surprise when, after deleting his profile from Bumble, I received a text message from him!

This led me to ponder how he managed to get my number without my explicit consent. I’ve always understood that for iPhones, especially with features like AirDrop, one must have the recipient’s contact saved or access permissions granted. In my case, my AirDrop settings are configured to share files only with contacts.

Could there be an explanation for how he managed to contact me so seamlessly? Is it possible that my phone, operating on the latest update of iOS, could have inadvertently revealed my number through some hidden feature? I would love to hear your thoughts and insights on whether this is feasible or if there are perhaps other methods at play here.

Has anyone else encountered a similar situation? Let’s dive into this intriguing topic and explore the nuances of technology and personal privacy in our connected world.