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Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

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Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#51

Post by bigyabai »

sussmannbaka wrote: post #49
creaturemachine wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ever since the iphone apple has been trying to make you believe files aren't a thing.

Im not sure if Android has caught up but the iOS file explorer app is excellent.

I'm pretty sure that iOS only has a file explorer app because Android supported it.

There was almost a whole decade there where Apple pretended that the feature just didn't need to exist.

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#53

Post by rcMgD2BwE72F »

sussmannbaka wrote: post #49
creaturemachine wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ever since the iphone apple has been trying to make you believe files aren't a thing.

Im not sure if Android has caught up but the iOS file explorer app is excellent.

Try connecting to a WebDAV server on File. It's possible but it's shitty. And try using Syncthing on iOS to keep your files synced across devices without having them uploaded to servers you don't control.

Also, on Android, you can choose any file explorer. You're stuck with Files and it sucks (but it looks nice).

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#54

Post by skunkworker »

vscode-rest wrote: post #29
prmoustache wrote: post #19

Aren't most people just sending files over whatsapp/signal/whatever instant messaging apps they use?

AirDrop is cool because it works offline with relatively high bandwidth using local RF. If you want to wait for you and the target to transmit all the data to/from some server 1000 miles away (using up your precious bandwidth quota along the way) that’s always been an option.

I've used it multiple times while hiking and outside normal cell phone tower range. Need to transfer 500mb of images and videos? easy.

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#55

Post by t-writescode »

alistairSH wrote: post #44

Is the benefit transferring "local" via BT instead of across the internet as a text message attachment? Because I do the latter plenty, but pretty much never AirDrop anything to anybody, even if they're sitting next to me.

I AirDrop files between my different Apple devices pretty regularly.. I guess everyone has their own system for doing things.

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#56

Post by Maxious »

bilal4hmed wrote: post #10
mcoliver wrote: post #6

Why only the pixel 10? What piece of hardware is the pixel 9 (one year old) missing?

It says starting with pixel 10, so I assume itll roll out to the others after some time https://security.googleblog.com/2025/11/android-quick-share-...

From the linked security report in that post https://www.netspi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/google-fea... it seems like they implemented something similar to https://github.com/seemoo-lab/opendrop (which was also used to test interoperablity

Also `we welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to enable “Contacts Only” mode in the future` doesn't make it sound like Apple actually helped implement this

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#57

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

bigyabai wrote: post #51
sussmannbaka wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Im not sure if Android has caught up but the iOS file explorer app is excellent.

I'm pretty sure that iOS only has a file explorer app because Android supported it. There was almost a whole decade there where Apple pretended that the feature just didn't need to exist.

To be fair, Android lacked a stock file browser for much of its existence.

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#58

Post by Gys »

OptionOfT wrote: post #5

The fact that I get excited about this is actually a good representation much vendor lock there is. We used to be able to send files over Bluetooth before the iPhone came out.

> We used to be able to send files over Bluetooth before the iPhone came out.

Cross platforms, really? So for example between a Blackberry and a Windows CE phone?

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#59

Post by dktp »

mcoliver wrote: post #6

Why only the pixel 10? What piece of hardware is the pixel 9 (one year old) missing?

I think specifically latest Pixels are often Google's beta testers. The enthusiasts owning them are happy to get features first and won't complain too much if it's rough around the edges. The phone is also not big enough revenue driver for them to be afraid that too many people would abandon it due to buggy new features

Then I assume they'll roll it out further

For better or worse, I do own Pixel 10

Re: Android and iPhone users can now share files, starting with the Pixel 10

#60

Post by cosmic_cheese »

fainpul wrote: post #36
hhh wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like what?

Like sharing your WLAN. It works great between iPhones, if you know how it works and the preconditions are fulfilled (it's undiscoverable). You can't share with Android devices by showing them a QR code – which I would consider the "usual" way and which is easy to do on Android devices. Edit: Here is the procedure I was talking about and all prerequisites for it to work: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102635

iOS hotspots are discoverable by non-Apple devices if you have "Allow Others to Join" enabled and have the Personal Hotspot settings panel open on the iOS device. Otherwise, it's hidden to help prevent unintended connection attempts.
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