Google is about to develop AirDrop help to extra Android gadgets

I believe it is truthful to say one of many largest surprises for Android customers final 12 months was Google’s announcement that Android’s Quick Share now works with Apple’s in style AirDrop characteristic on the Pixel 10 collection. Abruptly, sharing information and images between Pixel telephones and iPhones turned a lot simpler.

When the Pixel 10 lineup launched final summer season, I do not assume anybody predicted that considered one of its standout options would develop into AirDrop interoperability months later — however right here we’re.

Given how fiercely Apple guards its ecosystem, getting Fast Share to play properly with AirDrop was a particularly spectacular transfer from Google. The catch, although, is that the characteristic is at present unique to the Pixel 10 collection, leaving different Android customers on the skin wanting in.

The excellent news? That may lastly be about to alter.

At a press briefing at Google’s Taipei workplace that Android Authority not too long ago attended, Eric Kay, Android’s Vice President of Engineering, confirmed that AirDrop interoperability will develop to extra Android gadgets in 2026.

“We spent numerous time and vitality to be sure that we may construct one thing that was suitable not solely with iPhone however iPads and MacBooks,” Kay mentioned. “Now that we have confirmed it out, we’re working with our companions to develop it into the remainder of the ecosystem, and you must see some thrilling bulletins coming very quickly.”

Fast Share and AirDrop work seamlessly collectively

Qualcomm and Nothing have each confirmed AirDrop help is within the works

Proper now, if you wish to obtain a file from an iPhone utilizing AirDrop on a Pixel 10, you will have to set Fast Share’s visibility to “Everybody for 10 minutes” and ensure it is in obtain mode. As soon as that is executed, your Pixel ought to present up on the iPhone’s AirDrop display screen.

After all, it really works the opposite means round, too. In the event you’re sending a file from Fast Share to AirDrop, the iPhone, iPad, or Mac consumer on the opposite finish must set their AirDrop visibility to “Everybody for 10 minutes.” After that, their gadget ought to seem in your Fast Share menu, and you’ll share away.

Given how handy this cooperation is for sharing information between Android and iOS, having it locked to simply the Pixel 10 collection is not precisely very best, so the truth that it’s increasing to extra Android gadgets quickly may be very welcome. Nonetheless, the writing has been on the wall for fairly a while that this may occur.

In November, when Google first launched AirDrop help on the Pixel 10, Qualcomm shortly indicated it wished to convey the characteristic to Android telephones with its Snapdragon chips, and Nothing additionally confirmed it was working so as to add AirDrop help to its gadgets as quickly as potential, too.

There’s nonetheless no actual timeline for once we’ll lastly see Fast Share work with AirDrop on all Android gadgets, however with Eric Kay saying bulletins are “coming very quickly,” hopefully meaning we’ll doubtlessly see it within the subsequent couple of months. As a Galaxy S25+ consumer, I am particularly excited to lastly be capable to use Fast Share with AirDrop to shortly switch images and information to my MacBook.