TL;DR Google has confirmed that Android’s Quick Share-AirDrop interoperability is expanding beyond the Pixel 10 series to more Android devices this year.
The company says it’s working with partners to expand the functionality across the rest of the Android ecosystem and that we should expect some exciting announcements very soon.
Google says this expansion is part of a broader push to make switching from iPhone to Android easier.
When Google shocked everyone last year by making Android’s Quick Share interoperable with Apple’s AirDrop, the feature launched out of nowhere and has been limited to the Pixel 10 series ever since. At the time, Google stopped short of saying when it would reach the broader Android ecosystem, but behind the scenes, the signs were already there.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
Rather than tying AirDrop interoperability to a Pixel-only system component, Google enabled the functionality by upgrading the Quick Share Extension from a system app stub into a full APK with its own Play Store listing. That move effectively made AirDrop interoperability a Quick Share feature, not just a Pixel app feature, signaling that the implementation would not remain tied to Pixel hardware for long.
Now, we have confirmation that Quick Share-AirDrop interoperability is headed to other Android devices soon, not just older Pixel phones.
Speaking during a press briefing I attended at Google’s Taipei office during a Pixel Labs tour, Eric Kay, Vice President of Engineering for the Android platform, confirmed that AirDrop interoperability is set to expand well beyond Pixel phones this year.
“Last year, we launched AirDrop interoperability. In 2026, we’re going to be expanding it to a lot more devices,” Kay said.
... continue reading