Sharing files between Android devices has not been as seamless and as easy as you would with Apple devices. Yes there are apps that you can use and for a while there was even Bluetooth sharing which wasn’t as easy as it sounds. We’ve been hearing about an upcoming Android feature that should make things easier and now rumor has it that Nearby Share will be coming to all devices running on Android 6.0 and above. It is currently still being beta-tested but may soon be available for almost all Android users.
The best way to describe what Nearby Share will do, aside from the name itself, is to compare it to Apple’s AirDrop functionality. But if you’re not familiar with the fact that iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks can share files easily with one another, then, well that’s what it basically does. For Android, the framework is that the device needs to have Play Services so it means that all devices running Android 6 and newer will be able to use it.
Nearby Share will make file sharing among Android devices easier, without having to install anything else or even use Bluetooth or WiFi. As long as the nearby device is a contact and is close enough to your device, you can transfer photos, videos, files, etc with just one click. Well maybe two since you both have to confirm before any sharing happens. But it’s still easier than using a third-party app to transfer those files.
The latest rumor posted on Twitter is that Nearby Share will be rolling out to all Android 6 and newer devices this August, which is just a couple of weeks away. Some users that are part of the beta program have been able to try it out for the past few months but pretty soon, most of us will be able to use it in its stable version, if those rumors are to be believed. There will probably be no update rolling out but it will be part of the Play Store package.
Google told OEMs that Nearby Share, Google's AirDrop-like file-sharing service, rolls out to all Android (6.0+) devices in August.
Can't confirm if that's the plan as of now, but this info came from a recent source.
Currently in beta for some users: https://t.co/7GMct2A9kI
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) July 17, 2020
While some OEMs actually have something similar in place, it will still be much more convenient if a system-supported file sharing would be available that would cut across manufacturers. There are even reports that this feature is being developed to include other platforms like Windows, ChromeOS, macOS, and Linux. But first things first, hopefully we get it for Android this August.
