Google adds proximity sharing for contacts and media on Android
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Google has expanded Quick Share so compatible Android devices can exchange contact details, photos and videos by being brought close together. The change makes sharing more immediate and brings the Android feature closer to Apple’s AirDrop and NameDrop, while supporting Google’s broader effort to improve interoperability between the platforms.
Contact details can be shared through an automatic prompt when two supported Android phones are nearby, while photos and videos are sent by selecting them in the Share Sheet and tapping the devices together. The rollout begins on Pixel 6 and newer devices, followed by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8; Google plans wider Android support by the end of 2026, after introducing AirDrop compatibility on Pixel 10 phones in late 2025.
- Quick Share gains tap-based contact and media sharing.
- Pixel 6 and newer phones receive it first.
- Wider Android support is planned by end-2026.
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Quick Share is Google’s system for sending files and other information directly between nearby devices without using messaging apps or email. It is built into many Android phones, while Apple offers similar tools called AirDrop for files and NameDrop for sharing contact details between iPhones.
Google develops Android and its Pixel phones, while Samsung is the largest maker of Android phones. Apple operates its own separate iPhone system, so moving information between Android and Apple devices has often required extra steps or third-party services.
Nearby sharing features are intended to make exchanging photos, videos and contact details quicker when people are together. They also form part of a broader effort to reduce some of the practical differences between Android and Apple devices.
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Originally published by Engadget as “Google makes Quick Share even more like Apple’s AirDrop”.