Samsung Galaxy S26: AirDrop Compatibility Coming Soon | Share Files with iPhones Easily

March 22, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

Samsung has confirmed its Galaxy S26 series will soon gain the ability to share files with iPhones via Apple’s AirDrop, utilizing Google’s Quick Share framework. The announcement, made during a press conference in Japan, addresses a feature initially absent from the S26’s launch earlier this month.

Won-joon Choi, Samsung’s MX Business Chief Operating Officer, confirmed the company’s intention to roll out AirDrop compatibility “soon,” with the feature delivered sequentially through software updates, according to reports from Korean publication EBN, and 9to5Google.

The move expands interoperability between Apple and Android ecosystems, building on Google’s initial implementation of AirDrop support via Quick Share on its Pixel 8 series last year, and subsequently extending it to the Pixel 9 series. Samsung’s adoption will make the Galaxy S26 the first device in its lineup to support the feature, with plans to extend compatibility to other Galaxy phones in the future.

The integration of AirDrop functionality through Quick Share allows for seamless file transfers between Galaxy devices, iPhones, iPads, and Macs. While the initial implementation on Pixel devices required users to set their devices to “Everyone” mode for visibility, the specifics of how Samsung will handle this aspect of the integration remain unclear.

The decision to integrate AirDrop support is seen by some as a strategic move by Samsung, potentially aimed at increasing its market share in regions where Apple holds a dominant position, such as the United States. The alliance between Google and Samsung, coupled with the competitive landscape between the two companies and Apple, likely contributed to this decision, as reported by Android Central.

Currently, Samsung has not provided a specific timeline for the rollout of AirDrop compatibility to the Galaxy S26 series. The company indicated the update will be released in stages through software updates, leaving the order of deployment across different S26 models unspecified. Oppo has also announced plans to integrate AirDrop support into its devices, beginning with the Find X9 series, suggesting a broader industry trend toward cross-platform compatibility.