Android already has the Nearby Share feature but we don’t think many people are taking advantage of it. We remember first mentioning that Android devices may get AirDrop-like Google Fast Share. It was teased with a new Share Sheet and settings location before launch. It was then renamed to Nearby Share. We remember saying Android’s Nearby Sharing may work for non-Pixel devices too and we know it’s happening. There is no telling when exactly this feature will come to other devices but we’ve got information the feature may soon support other platforms like Chrome OS, Linux, Mac OS, and Windows.
The Nearby Sharing support may be available on the said platforms via Google Chrome. XDA has shared the possibility. The AirDrop-style system of sharing files between Android and other devices will be easier to use by more people soon.
No need to install a third-party app because the feature is native on Android. This system competes with a similar file-sharing system, the Peer-to-Peer Transmission Alliance, now being used by Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO, Meizu, Black Shark, OnePlus, and Realme. Those OEMs already have such feature but others don’t have it yet.
Motorola, LG, and Sony don’t have a similar system but they may use Android’s own file-sharing solution. Google’s file-sharing service will work between Google apps on different devices. They’re not limited to Android smartphones or tablets but also available for laptops and computers running Linux, Mac, Windows, and Chrome OS.
A related commit was sighted on Chromium Gerrit, telling us Nearby Share is nearly ready for more devices. As long as there’s Google Chrome and Google Play Services, file sharing will be easy.
