- Android Quick Share now works with Apple AirDrop for file sharing
- It means easy file sharing between Android and iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Will roll out to Pixel 10 before expanding to other Android devices
The spicy debate between Android and iPhone just got a little less heated: Google has announced that Android Quick Share now officially works with Apple’s AirDrop for easy file sharing between rivals.
That’s right, the Android equivalent of AirDrop, which lets you easily send files between Android devices, along with Chromebooks and Windows machines, now supports Apple’s AirDrop system, starting with the Pixel 10 series starting today.
This means that quickly sending photos, videos, and other files between Android devices and iPhones, iPads, and Macs should soon be, in theory, as easy as sharing files between devices of the same type. It’s a cross-platform feature that many suspected would never happen despite long-standing rumors, but here it is.
How will it work? According to a short video Google shared (below), you’ll simply need to open Quick Share on your Android device and Apple devices will appear as a sharing option.
Once your iPhone-owning friend accepts the invitation, you can send them photos, videos, or files. It will also be a two-way affair, so Android devices will also appear among shared AirDrop targets. This is despite the fact that this is not an official collaboration between Google and Apple: it is Google’s own implementation, so it will be interesting to see how Apple reacts.
AirDrop not quite complete
This is not full AirDrop support for Android; As Google explained in a separate blog post, it will only work if AirDrop is in “Everyone for 10 minutes” mode (in other words, a short-term connection). Google says it would “welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to enable ‘Contacts Only’ mode in the future.”
Still, it’s a big step forward for easy file sharing between Android and Apple devices. Google also highlighted the strong built-in security features of this new AirDrop support, explaining that “this feature does not use a workaround” and that “the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, meaning your data is never routed through a server, shared content is never logged, and no additional data is shared.”
While it’s a shame that it will initially only work with the Google Pixel 10 series, Google added that “this is just the first step as we work to improve the experience and expand it to more devices.”
There are already unofficial third-party tools available like NearDrop that do a similar job, but this official option promises to be more convenient, seamless, and secure. The feature isn’t currently available on our Pixel 10 or Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but we’ll let you know when we’ve tested it.
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