Quick Share leverages the Everyone for 10 minutes mode in AirDrop to share files with the iPhone.
iPhone owners can receive files from Pixel devices using a peer-to-peer connection
Photo Credit: Google
The Google Pixel 9 series could soon benefit from compatibility with Apple's AirDrop feature, according to a report. In November, the Mountain View-based tech giant announced that Android users could now share files securely and wirelessly with iPhone owners, and vice versa, using both Quick Share and AirDrop. This functionality, however, was limited to the latest Pixel 10 models. The report mentions that this feature is in development for older Pixel models too, beginning with the Pixel 9 series.
Android Authority collaborated with tipster AssembleDebug for a deep dive into the latest Android Canary build (ZP11.251212.007). While reviewing the update, the publication identified new system files added by Google, which are reportedly required by Quick Share to send files from iPhones to Pixel 9 models.
The report mentions that the aforementioned files were not available in the previous firmware for the same Pixel 9 series phones. The non-flagship Google Pixel 9a, however, may miss out on the feature. The publication wasn't able to test whether the new functionality actually works between the Pixel 9 and an iPhone.
Further, the new system files required for adding AirDrop support to Quick Share are reportedly only present on the Pixel 9 series models, and not in older handsets like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
During the November announcement, Google had confirmed that while the functionality had been introduced exclusively for the Pixel 10 series, it would be rolling out support to more Android devices in the future. It did not, however, mention a definite timeline. If the sighting of the files for AirDrop support in Quick Share on the Pixel 9 is to be believed, then it could be announced soon.
Notably, the added support for AirDrop in Quick Share enables file transfer between Android devices and iPhone. The feature works with iPadOS and macOS devices, too. Quick Share leverages the Everyone for 10 minutes mode in AirDrop. The company claims it does not use a workaround but a peer-to-peer connection.
As per Google, this means that the data is not routed through a server, and the shared content is never logged.
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