For a long time, AirDrop was considered a big advantage for the Apple ecosystem compared to Android. iPhone users were able to quickly share files among one another while their Android peers stayed out of this loop. Google did have its own Quick Share, but cross-platform compatibility remained a problem. Now, Google has announced that it has finally made AirDrop work on Android, that too without any help from Apple.
In a blog post, Google shared the major update to Quick Share, which finally added support to work with Apple’s AirDrop. This update will first work on the Pixel 10 series, with a later roll out for additional devices. Users can now seamlessly share photos, documents and other files between the two operating systems, without the need to rely on third-party apps. According to the tech giant, Android users will be able to share files with iPhones, iPads and even Macs through this feature.
How to use AirDrop on Android?
If you have a Pixel 10 and want to share a file to your friend who uses an iPhone, your friend must make their iPhone discoverable to anyone on AirDrop. The iPhone will then be visible in Quick Share on the Pixel, you just need to select the device and send the file. The sharing process would work like just any other AirDrop file on the iPhone.
If you want to receive an AirDrop from an iPhone on your Android, the process is similar. Just make your Pixel 10 device discoverable to anyone, and this time the iPhone user sends the file via AirDrop.
Google made AirDrop work on Android without Apple’s help
Now, you might think that this leap in cross-platform sharing came as a joint collaboration between Google and Apple. However, Google actually went solo without any help from the Cupertino giant. Google spokesperson Alex Moriconi told The Verge, “We accomplished this through our own implementation.”
Though it seems that Google did not really pitch this idea to Apple. However, the company was open to collaborations in the future. Moriconi added, “We always welcome collaboration opportunities to address interoperability issues between iOS and Android.”
Is AirDrop safe to use with Android?
Google insists that the feature does not compromise security. The company claims that your data will remain safe and the system has been tested by “independent security experts.”
A Google security blog post states, “This feature does not use a workaround; the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, meaning your data is never routed through a server, shared content is never logged, and no extra data is shared.”
It is unclear how Apple will respond to Google’s way of using AirDrop on Android. So far, the Cupertino giant has not commented on this development. Moreover, users will need to wait to find out if more Android phonemakers get to use this feature soon.
