Google Enables Android Rapid Share with iPhones, Initially Exclusive to Pixel 10
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – November 21, 2024 - In a move hailed as a breakthrough for cross-platform interoperability, google has implemented functionality allowing Android’s Quick Share to work with Apple’s AirDrop. The feature allows users to seamlessly share files between Android phones and iPhones, eliminating the previous necessity of routing data through third-party servers like WhatsApp or Telegram.
Technically, the integration is complex, as Quick Share and AirDrop utilize diffrent protocols – Apple’s proprietary blend of bluetooth LE for discovery and Wi-Fi Direct (via its AWDL protocol) for transfer, versus Google’s own system. Google states it has worked with independant experts to ensure security during the transfer process,possibly leveraging opportunities created by European regulations like the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the move to USB-C.
Currently, the feature is exclusively available on the Pixel 10. google characterizes this as a “feature drop” intended to highlight the capabilities of its newest device. While the necessary hardware (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips) exists in a wide range of Android smartphones,Google maintains this is a purposeful software and strategic decision to position the Pixel 10 as a bridge between the Android and iOS ecosystems.
Google has stated plans to expand the feature to “more Android devices” in the future, but a specific timeline remains unconfirmed. “[…]if we have to wait for Android 17 for it to arrive at Samsung or Xiaomi, the wait will be long,” according to reporting from Frandroid.
Third-party solutions like LocalSend and PairDrop already offer similar functionality, but this integration offers a native, app-free experience for users. Upon selecting an iPhone in the sharing menu on a Pixel 10, the iPhone user receives a standard AirDrop notification.
A exhibition video of the functionality is available from Frandroid: https://images.frandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Android_Quick_Share_and_iOS_AirDrop_compatibility.mov
Further reading on the topic is available at Frandroid: https://www.frandroid.com/android/2876005_jai-desinstalle-pairdrop-et-lache-airdrop-localsend-est-la-seule-vraie-solution-universelle-pour-transferer-des-fichiers and https://www.frandroid.com/android/2876005_android-quick-share-arrive-sur-iphone-mais-avec-des-limitations.
