In a surprising but welcome move, Google has updated Quick Share to work with Apple’s AirDrop, allowing users to more easily transfer files and photos between Android and iPhone devices. This new feature is rolling out first to the Pixel 10 lineup and works with iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices.
Google plans to extend the feature to other Android devices in the future.
The company says the new feature will allow users to quickly share photos, videos, and files without worrying about what type of phone the other person is using.
Quick Share now works with AirDrop if iPhone owners change their settings to allow anyone to discover their device using AirDrop’s “Everyone for 10 Minutes” mode. Pixel users will now see their iPhone as an available device when they select Quick Share.
“This implementation with ‘Everyone for 10 Minutes’ mode is just the first step for seamless cross-platform sharing. We welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to enable ‘Contacts Only’ mode in the future,” Google explained in a blog post.
The tech giant says you can make sure you’re sharing with the right person by seeing their device name on the screen.
Google says the update enables two-way communication, meaning iPhone users can also send files to their Pixel smartphones. Your Pixel device must also be set as discoverable to receive files.
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Google says there is no workaround for this feature and the connection will be made directly peer-to-peer. This means that no data is routed through the server and shared content is not logged.
“We built this with security at its core and protected your data with strong safeguards tested by independent security experts,” Google wrote in a blog post. “This is just another way we can deliver the improved compatibility between operating systems that people are asking for, following our work around RCS and unknown tracker alerts.”
It’s worth noting that Google’s blog post doesn’t detail any details about how it collaborated with Apple to release new features. TechCrunch has reached out to Apple for comment and will update if we receive any comment.
