Google has announced that its support for Apple’s AirDrop file-sharing capability will be expanding to more Android devices “very soon”.
In a press conference at Google’s office in Taipei, Eric Kay, Vice President of Engineering for the Android platform, disclosed that the feature allowing Android Quick Share to interact with iOS AirDrop will be available on non-Pixel smartphones by 2026.
According to Android Authority, Kay explained that the primary engineering challenge was ensuring the feature functions not only between Android devices and iPhones but also with iPads and Macs.
“Now that we’ve validated the feature”, Kay stated, “we are collaborating with our partners to extend it throughout the ecosystem, and you can expect some exciting announcements very soon”.
A recent timeline of Android AirDrop compatibility
Support for Apple’s AirDrop file-sharing protocol was introduced on the Google Pixel 10 series in November.
Shortly after, chip manufacturer Qualcomm announced that the feature would be rolling out to other Android devices utilizing Snapdragon processors “in the near future”.
During this period, the British technology company Nothing also confirmed plans to add AirDrop compatibility to its products, leading us to hope that more brands would soon follow suit.
AirDrop compatibility began to appear on older Pixel devices just last month, and we have been monitoring the situation for solid updates regarding broader compatibility.
In a unique move aimed at facilitating easy data transfers between the competing platforms, the Google executive also mentioned that Google was seeking to streamline the transition process from iOS to Android – a shift that more users appear to be open to than ever before.
