Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

blog.google

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 585 posts

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

#191

Post by hoherd »

keane wrote: post #184

Possibly relevant comment from a few years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26893693 >AirDrop also shares your full name (seemingly the one associated with your Apple ID, not what you have set for yourself in your contacts), both by displaying it in the sharing interface on the involved devices and by attaching it as an extended attribute to uploaded files. >So if you AirDrop some files to your computer and…

Using macOS 26 and iOS 26 I was unable to reproduce their findings. I airdropped a photo from my iOS device to my laptop, and nothing in `mdls`, `xattr -l`, `exiftool -s`, `rg -i` showed my name.

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

#192

Post by standardUser »

somanyphotons wrote: post #26

Am I right to assume that they simply implemented AirDrop without discussing with Apple?

Key quote from The Verge article:

When we asked Google whether it developed this feature with or without Apple’s involvement, Moriconi confirmed it was not a collab. “We accomplished this through our own implementation,” he tells The Verge. “Our implementation was thoroughly vetted by our own privacy and security teams, and we also engaged a third party security firm to pentest the solution.” Google didn’t exactly answer our question when we asked how the company anticipated Apple responding to the development; Moriconi only says that “…we always welcome collaboration opportunities to address interoperability issues between iOS and Android.”

https://www.theverge.com/news/825228/iphone-airdrop-android-...

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

#193

Post by thewebguyd »

do_not_redeem wrote: post #38
somanyphotons wrote: post #26

Am I right to assume that they simply implemented AirDrop without discussing with Apple?

Reading between the lines, it seems like Google is playing a bit of chess here. Reminds me of the Beeper Mini stunt, except this time by a trillion-dollar company they can't just sweep under the rug. > we welcome the opportunity to work with Apple to enable “Contacts Only” mode in the future. > I applaud the effort to open more secure information sharing between platforms and encourage Google and Apple to work togeth…

That's how it reads to me. They made a big deal during the Pixel 10 launch to talk about Apple/iOS features, and switching from iPhone to Pixel. They called the blue/green bubbles childish, and they put Magasafe in the Pixel and explicitly said "you can use all your Apple accessories."

Google is going hard after iPhone users by trying to punch holes in Apple's walled garden anytime they can. AirDrop is another hole in the wall, as was Magsafe, and RCS.

If Google can get other AWDL features working between macOS and Android, particularly universal clipboard and universal control, I'd seriously consider switching back to Android after many, many years on iOS purely for the ecosystem integration. iMessage doesn't bother me, but I use AirDrop, AirPods auto switching on calls, and universal clipboard daily and those are all blockers for my considering a switch.

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

#194

Post by standardUser »

Angostura wrote: post #41
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.

Because Apple realised that phone users are interested in photos, videos, contacts, documents, appointments etc. not files

But what they own is files. Most users aren't interested in mutual funds, but that doesn't mean they don't want them in their retirement portfolio.

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

#195

Post by thewebguyd »

trollbridge wrote: post #130
somanyphotons wrote: post #26

Am I right to assume that they simply implemented AirDrop without discussing with Apple?

And if Google does this as well as the RCS rollout, I can look forward to attempts to use AirDrop to send me viruses and other spammy junk.

AirDrop & QuickShare are "contacts only" by default. You have to explicitly enable "receive from anyone" and it's only active for 10 minutes.

The old days of being able to AirDrop something to everyone on a plane because it was set to "everyone" by default are over.

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

#196

Post by gostsamo »

mcoliver wrote: post #6

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

We get the early worm. At the same time, as a screenreader user, I wished that I didn't miss the responsiveness and ease of use of my old Samsung Galaxy S9+. I fail to comprehend how Google managed to make a phone which is harder to use than something produced 7 generations ago.

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

#199

Post by [deleted] »

array_key_first wrote: post #181
MiddleEndian wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In high school (2003-2007) it was super easy for any of my friends and I (varying technical levels) to send arbitrarily large files to each other with AOL Instant Messenger's Direct Connect. Honestly not even sure how a non-technical person would do that nowadays.

Nowadays it's done by uploading something to Google drive and then sharing the link so someone can then download it. Expensive, overly complex, and stupidly slow.

[deleted]
Post reply on HN