Google's version of AirDrop leaked in new video

AirDrop is one of the most useful, convenient features in the Apple ecosystem, and its practicality seems to be accentuated by the fact that it has no native competitor on Android. Just a few days ago, details of Samsung’s copy, called Quick Share, were made known, and now, leaks of Google’s own version have started to surface.

As XDA reported, an APK teardown revealed a mostly-working version of Nearby Sharing, a feature that allows for sharing photos or other files with nearby devices—even non-contacts, just like AirDrop.

XDA has also released a video demonstrating Nearby Sharing in action (linked below). The feature seems to work without major hiccups, discovering nearby devices and transferring an image within seconds.

Like the Apple counterpart, Nearby Sharing appears to have a number of privacy settings, such as a hidden mode to restrict who can send you their files. So far, the feature has reportedly been set up successfully (with some tinkering) on a Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 4, and OnePlus 7T Pro.

That last one is particularly exciting, because it means Nearby Sharing could potentially be available on all or most Google Play-enabled phones and even Chrome OS devices too, not just Google's own Pixel devices. If the feature arrives universally across Android 11, iOS could be losing a major advantage.

Of course, it isn’t ready for actual release yet, as shown by the lack of official announcements. Google doesn't win any points for originality with this, but Nearby Sharing is still some of the most exciting prospects for the future of Android. Check out the video yourself here: