New Delhi: Google has officially rolled out its Android Quick Share interoperability with Apple’s AirDrop beyond the Pixel 10 series. This latest feature is now available on the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold via Quick Share. Google has also noted that the feature is not accessible in the Pixel 9a device. Privacy and speed remain the main priority, as the feature is engineered with multi-layered security at its foundation. Quick Share has features that enable users on Android and Apple devices to send files directly to each other without relying on third-party applications or cloud services.
Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 devices can send files to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, similar to how AirDrop works between Apple devices. Transfer happens directly between the devices and does not require an internet connection. Apple users will need to set AirDrop to Everyone for 10 minutes on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac. From the Pixel device, open the Quick Share, select the nearby Apple devices, and send the file. The process will work through direct Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. This latest system will connect devices directly; this feature does not use a workaround. The connection is direct and peer-to-peer, meaning the user’s data is never routed through a server, shared content is never logged, and no extra data is shared.
The rollout began this week, and it is being released in phases over the next few weeks. To check if the update has also reached the user’s device, open Settings, search for System services, go to Available Updates, and install the Quick Share Extension if it’s listed. Some Pixel 9 users have been reported to have begun sharing the files after updating. Google has also reported that it has already taken steps that hinted at a wider rollout, rather than keeping the feature tied to the Pixel’s only system software. This change suggested that the AirDrop interoperability was being treated as the core Quick Share feature, instead of something exclusive to Pixel hardware.
