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. The new functionality is first rolling out to the Pixel 10 lineup and works with iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices.
Google plans to expand the functionality to additional Android devices in the future.
The company says the new feature lets users quickly share their photos, videos, and files without worrying about the kind of phone the other person uses.
Quick Share currently works with AirDrop if the iPhone owner changes their settings to make their device discoverable to anyone using AirDrop’s “Everyone for 10 minutes” mode. The Pixel user will then be able to see the iPhone as an available device when selecting Quick Share.
“This implementation using ‘Everyone for 10 minutes’ mode is just the first step in seamless cross-platform sharing, and 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 ensure you’re sharing with the right person by confirming their device name on your screen.
Google notes that the update allows for two-way communication, which means that iPhone users can send files to Pixel phones as well. The Pixel device will also need to be set as discoverable in order to receive a file.
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The feature does not use a workaround, and the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, Google says. This means that data isn’t routed through a server and that shared content is never logged.
“We built this with security at its core, protecting your data with strong safeguards that were tested by independent security experts,” Google wrote in the blog post. “It’s just one more way we’re bringing better compatibility that people are asking for between operating systems, following our work on RCS and unknown tracker alerts.”
It’s worth noting that Google’s blog post doesn’t detail anything about how it worked with Apple to launch the new functionality. TechCrunch reached out to Apple for comment and will update if one is provided.
