android’s Quick Share gains AirDrop Compatibility, Launching First on Pixel 10
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - May 14, 2024 – Android users can now seamlessly share files with iPhones via a new interoperability feature between google’s Quick share and Apple’s AirDrop, starting with teh Pixel 10 series and expanding to more Android devices in the future. The integration allows for direct, platform-spanning file transfers, addressing a long-standing challenge for users of both operating systems.
Google emphasizes the security of the new feature, highlighting several key protections.Transfers utilize a secure connection built on industry-standard protocols, providing confidence against vulnerabilities like buffer overflow attacks. This is bolstered by the inherent security features of both Android and iOS. Android’s security is layered, with investments in Rust at the OS level and proactive defenses like Google Play Protect. iOS provides its own safeguards against malicious files and exploitation.
Users retain control throughout the process, as all file transfers require explicit approval before being received.
To validate the system’s security, Google commissioned an independent assessment by NetSPI, a leading penetration testing firm. The resulting report, available publicly, found the Quick Share-AirDrop interoperability to be secure and “notably stronger” than other industry implementations, with no details leakage.
“based on these internal and external assessments, we believe our implementation provides a strong security foundation for cross-platform file sharing for both Android and iOS users,” Google stated. “We will continue to evaluate and enhance the implementation’s security in collaboration with additional third-party partners.”
