Google has apparently found a loophole in Apple’s secure AirDrop feature, and is now exploiting it to let Android users share files to iPhones using a combination of Quick Share and AirDrop. In layman’s English, this means that your iPhone friend can share photos and videos in full quality directly via AirDrop to your Android phone. You no longer need to rely on the poor quality transfers of WhatsApp any longer!
The tool, which uses Apple’s AirDrop system without any permission from Apple, makes it easier for people with different phones to send files quickly. The update is now live on the Pixel 10 series devices and works in a rather simple way. The feature builds on Google’s Quick Share, which is like a wireless sharing tool for Android.
Android Quick Share embraces iPhone’s AirDrop
Google’s Quick Share taps into AirDrop’s protocol to connect with iPhones. Users can send images or other files peer-to-peer, i.e., straight from one device to another. No servers are involved, keeping things private.
To receive files on an iPhone, the owner must turn AirDrop to “everyone for 10 minutes.” After that time, it switches back to “contacts only” for safety. The implementation reportedly works well, with some users even stating that it works with Macs for file sharing. Although Apple is yet to make any public comment regarding this feature, it seems that this feature could stay around, thus bridging the ecosystem gap between Android and iPhone.
Note that the feature is live only on Pixel 10 series devices, which include the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
How to send files from Android to iPhone using Quick Share
– On a Pixel 10, Quick Share detects nearby iPhones with AirDrop on.
– Pick a file, tap share, and select the iPhone.
– The receiver sees the sender’s name and can accept or decline.
– Transfers are fast and secure, with no records of what is shared.
A Google spokesperson said, “We accomplished this through our own implementation,” adding that Google engaged a third-party security firm and that the setup was “thoroughly vetted by our own privacy and security teams.”
Dave Kleidermacher, vice president of platforms security and privacy at Google, explained the tech side, “This feature does not use a workaround; the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, meaning your data is never routed through a server, shared content is never logged, and no extra data is shared.”
The company wrapped it up by stating, “When it comes to sharing moments between family and friends, what device you have shouldn’t matter — sharing should just work.”
