Google might finally deliver an AirDrop version for Android

iPhone users can confirm the benefits of having such a feature on their devices


Tech Desk July 01, 2019
A 3D printed Android logo is seen in front of a displayed cyber code in this illustration taken March 22, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

9to5Google and XDA Developers disclosed an unreleased Android feature being tested currently called “Fast Share.” This feature enables users to send text and multimedia files, such as photos, to nearby devices through Bluetooth.

The two publications posted screenshots detailing this. According to them, Fast Share does away with the need for an internet connection and instead, allows phone owners to share text, photos, and URLs with surrounding devices. It’s interesting to note that the devices listed in the screenshots included an iPhone, a Chromebook, and a Pixel 3 phone, which indicates that Fast Share will allow cross-platform sharing to its users.

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The Fast Share page has been discovered by various publications and has sparked interest among Android users. However, it doesn’t seem to be functional as yet and a clear picture of Google’s plans for its future has still not been conveyed. We’re currently on the lookout for more information and will update accordingly.

Although Fast Share may not seem too significant, iPhone users who use a similar feature, AirDrop, can confirm the benefits of having such a feature on their devices.

Other options have existed before. Android Beam, which used NFC, also enabled users to share files wirelessly, but it only worked with a select number of devices as they had to be touched together for the files to send.

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Similarly, Google allowed sharing like that of AirDrop, but with a separate Files app, which isn’t as intuitive as a system-level feature like AirDrop.

In contrast, Fast Share is integrated with the Android share sheet, which makes it comparable to iPhone’s AirDrop feature.

This article originally appeared on Mashable.

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