Samsung Galaxy S26 series could enable file sharing with devices that support AirDrop like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers.
AirDrop compatibility could be available to older Samsung phones with the One UI 8.5 update
Photo Credit: Apple
Samsung Galaxy S26 series will be revealed later today, and a last-minute leak suggests a new feature of the upcoming flagship lineup. The Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra models are said to offer AirDrop compatibility. The functionality could be enabled through Samsung's Quick Share. This feature is likely to be a breakthrough in cross-platform integration. AirDrop support on Samsung Galaxy smartphones could allow file sharing to a large portion of the Android ecosystem. Google already offers Quick Share compatibility with Apple's AirDrop on its latest Pixel flagship smartphones.
In a post on X, tipster chunvn8888 claims that the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will support sharing files with an iPhone, using Apple's AirDrop functionality. Samsung smartphones use Quick Share to send files to other Android phones, and it could also support file sharing via AirDrop, just like Google's Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 models. The feature is said to arrive on older devices via Samsung's upcoming One UI 8.5 update.
A screenshot shared by the tipster offers an overview of this feature. It shows that the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will be able to share files with iPhone models, iPads, Macs, and other devices that support AirDrop.
The recipient needs to set AirDrop to "Everyone" to initiate transferring files from the Samsung Galaxy smartphone. This makes their device visible. To receive the files, Samsung users can tap Quick Share in the quick panel to make the Samsung handset visible. While "Share with Apple devices" is turned on, the Samsung phone will temporarily disconnect from Wi-Fi networks while searching for or sharing with Apple devices.
If this leak turns out to be accurate, it would be a major step toward sharing data between iPhone models and Android handsets. Given Samsung's leading position in the smartphone space, offering support for file sharing with Apple devices is likely to benefit a larger segment of Android users.
Last year, Google added AirDrop compatibility to its Pixel 10 series smartphones via Android's Quick Share. The feature, which was limited to last year's Pixel phones, was recently made available to the Pixel 9 lineup.
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