Google Nearby will be more ambitious than Apple’s AirDrop when it comes to instant file-sharing. The new feature still needs to be officially rolled out.
File-sharing is one of the most crucial features of a device. For the past decade, many users outside the iOS and macOS ecosystem had to be creative in doing this task.
The majority use the built-in Bluetooth file-sharing system. On the other hand, a good number of users use shared cloud folders to upload and download their files. Meanwhile, Apple’s AirDrop feature is undeniably one of Apple’s greatest product.
Apple device users enjoy the benefit of sharing files in a snap. Not only that, but they also enjoy instant connectivity across devices so long as the devices are near each other. Finally, a similar but more powerful feature is coming to Android devices.
Google Nearby will be more ambitious
Android 11 was just launched last week and it is packed with powerful features for its users to enjoy. It has been leaked and rumored that Google Nearby will finally be on the latest update on the Android OS. True enough, it is already in its beta phase.
Over the weekend, Dinsan from Twitter was able to unearth what could probably be Android 11’s best feature yet. Apparently, Google Nearby will not just be limited to Android smartphone devices. Dinsan’s reveal still holds water at the moment, and may still be refuted unless Google confirms the new feature.
Nonetheless, Dinsan tweeted a screen capture of the feature’s toggle on the ChromeOS interface. In other words, there are already two verified operating systems where Google Nearby will be available. However, the Google Nearby toggle on the ChromeOS still doesn’t do anything when turned on.
Nearby Sharing shows up in #chromebook settings pic.twitter.com/Z2V5UrgPT4
— Dinsan (@_dinsan) June 19, 2020
The ChromeOS having the Google Nearby feature means that other operating systems may also get the same feature. In fact, one report has indicated that Google Nearby will also be available in Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.
Google Nearby in the share sheet
Google announced that it will be doing 11 weeks of Android feature videos. The Google Nearby feature on Android smartphones was confirmed in the first video released. In the render, the Google Nearby option appears in the share sheet.
It appears that Google Nearby is nearly available for users and sharing files across devices would be easier. It will be released alongside other sharing options such as by email, Bluetooth, or through social media. However, since Google has not confirmed the details, everything should be taken with a grain of salt in mind.
Image courtesy of Android/ YouTube Screenshot