Google is testing an AirDrop clone for Android Q

[DrMacintosh]

Back when iOS 7 was released (in 2014), Apple introduced a technology called AirDrop which fuses bluetooth and wifi sharing to give iOS users an ad-hoc file sharing service with which they could exchange essentially unlimited types and amounts of information, one or one, to large groups, and from across the room. AirDrop has become a stable feature of iOS and is one of the many most valued features for iPhone users. Google wants some of that....

 

Google and Android have had file beaming support over NFC for some time, but that requires to compatible devices, can only share to 1 device at a time, and requires taping your phones together. Aka, trash. This is the fix:

Quote

Google is working to deliver an AirDrop clone that will allow Android users to quickly share files with nearby devices.

Its new “Fast Share” feature, which will also make its way to Chrome OS, can be used to send images, videos, links, and other files without an internet connection. It can already be enabled on some Android Q devices.

Of note, the previous "Android Beam" technology we be removed in favor of this superior AirDrop Clone. 

 

This technology will work through a share sheet, just like on iOS. However, the biggest difference between Fast Share and AirDrop is that AirDrop does not require your location services to be on to use it. 

Quote

Fast Share is included in the share sheet, which makes it easy to send content from all your favorite apps. You can also access it from within the Settings app. You must have Bluetooth and location access enabled.

AirDrop only requires that Bluetooth and Wifi be enabled for the sharing process to work. AirDrop also gives you easy control over who can share files to you, it is unclear what measures Fast Share is taking to allow the user to filter unwanted file shares. But as always, it appears that Google is being Google and wants your personal information to use this feature. 

 

This feature should be available with the release of Android Q in the fall. 

 

Sauce: https://www.cultofmac.com/635470/google-airdrop-clone-android-q/?fbclid=IwAR2F5XkBo8e93FDHoMdooizWSHiOlSy9h5dKX3GWp2h2_X7FPCMuUbU-xEw

[rcmaehl]

Pretty sure Google has used a similar feature for data transfer before. I know with two NFC enabled devices you can migrate data from one phone to another by them automatically setting up a adhoc wireless network. Not surprised at this development.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, rcmaehl said:

Pretty sure Google has used a similar feature for data transfer before.

Yes they did, however as I commented on in the OP, it's comparatively garbage next to an AirDrop like service.  

[suicidalfranco]

13 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

took them long enough ._. any chance of a windows or a third-party mac client?

snapdrop

[suicidalfranco]

1 minute ago, VegetableStu said:

woa, uhh o_o interesting. how safe is this? (i mean i could just read through the entire source code on github, but...)

don't know, all i can say is that it does what it claims to do, and works on every OSs i use so... can't complain

[RejZoR]

But won't be compatible with Apple's AirDrop. Which was the whole fucking point of Bluetooth transfers. So it worked with any device. Fast forward to 2019 and we have bunch of phones that have no clue how to communicate with each other to share stupid files. Absolute pure idiocy.

[Blademaster91]

7 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

But won't be compatible with Apple's AirDrop. Which was the whole fucking point of Bluetooth transfers. So it worked with any device. Fast forward to 2019 and we have bunch of phones that have no clue how to communicate with each other to share stupid files. Absolute pure idiocy.

Except you can't AirDrop files to an Android device so why does does it even matter? This a Google service though so i'd be surprised if you couldn't transfer to and from a PC or iOS.

[RejZoR]

It would be nice if phone manufacturers would just for bloody once step together and make a standard that works on all god damn phones be it Android or iOS. Sometimes it would benefit one, sometimes it would the other. But in the end it would benefit users. It's nothing more retarded than having an iPhone and just arrogantly assuming everyone does. Or assuming because I have it, everyone else will too. That's just dumb thinking. And it goes both ways.

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

It would be nice if phone manufacturers would just for bloody once step together and make a standard that works on all god damn phones be it Android or iOS

Apple is the sole developer of their ecosystem and it’s success depends on hardware sales atm. Expanding software to 3rd parties removes selling points from their products and damages their reputation. 

 

Its just bad business. 

 

 

[RejZoR]

3 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Apple is the sole developer of their ecosystem and it’s success depends on hardware sales atm. Expanding software to 3rd parties removes selling points from their products and damages their reputation. 

 

Its just bad business. 

 

 

It's also bad business to buy a device that's about as useful as a brick because it arrogantly refuses to connect with anything other than itself.

[Drak3]

So, literally Android Beam over bluetooth.

 

Yawn.

[colonel_mortis]

3 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

However, the biggest difference between Fast Share and AirDrop is that AirDrop does not require your location services to be on to use it. 

Location services, or just location permission? The quote only says that the app needs location permissions. On Android, any app that uses Bluetooth requires location permission, because Bluetooth can be used to locate you (for example, if you owned a shop, you could put Bluetooth beacons in the shop, then when someone opens the app you can scan for those beacons and therefore know whether they're in the shop).

[Drak3]

37 minutes ago, colonel_mortis said:

Location services, or just location permission?

The service. I ran Airdrop with location services off on my iPad and iPhone a few times.

[colonel_mortis]

4 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

The service. I ran Airdrop with location services off on my iPad and iPhone a few times.

Airdrop doesn't require location services, but my (point was that my) guess is that Android's version won't either. The article only talks about requiring location access, which is required for any app that uses Bluetooth on Android.

[Master Disaster]

I've been running Q for a few months now on my Pixel 3 and it's pretty nice tbh, it contains so many small quality of life fixes that all add up to a much better experience. I also love the new gesture mode with no buttons, it makes using the device quicker once you get used to all the gestures. Beta 4 came out at the end of June and it now feels like a finished product. In fact going back to Pie on my Tablet feels weird now.

 

I can't say I care about an Airdrop clone tbh however Q itself is nice and I'll be running it on my Tablet as soon as Lineage gets an unofficial version.

[Bananasplit_00]

Hopefully it's just location access like Mortis said and not needing location enabled. Not that I'll be using it anyway

[LeSheen]

13 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

took them long enough ._. any chance of a windows or a third-party mac client?

I use pushbullet for this. This makes is possible to reply at texts on your pc as well. (before windows had it integrated)

[D13H4RD]

And I'm sad that nobody has used SuperBeam 

 

Seriously, seeing a huge video transferred between devices in about a minute is still impressive to me even now thanks to WiFi Direct 

[rcmaehl]

On 7/1/2019 at 3:45 PM, RejZoR said:

It would be nice if phone manufacturers would just for bloody once step together and make a standard that works on all god damn phones be it Android or iOS. Sometimes it would benefit one, sometimes it would the other. But in the end it would benefit users. It's nothing more retarded than having an iPhone and just arrogantly assuming everyone does. Or assuming because I have it, everyone else will too. That's just dumb thinking. And it goes both ways.

*coughBluetoothcough*

[Commodus]

On 7/1/2019 at 3:45 PM, RejZoR said:

It would be nice if phone manufacturers would just for bloody once step together and make a standard that works on all god damn phones be it Android or iOS. Sometimes it would benefit one, sometimes it would the other. But in the end it would benefit users. It's nothing more retarded than having an iPhone and just arrogantly assuming everyone does. Or assuming because I have it, everyone else will too. That's just dumb thinking. And it goes both ways.

I don't think Apple is arrogantly assuming that everyone does -- it just wants people to use iPhones.

 

(Also: AirDrop is mighty handy, so it's good that Google is finally catching up)

[DrMacintosh]

14 hours ago, LeSheen said:

I use pushbullet for this.

Is pushbullet still actively being developed? Development stopped for iOS 2 years ago. 

[LeSheen]

6 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Is pushbullet still actively being developed? Development stopped for iOS 2 years ago. 

It seems like it is. Last update on their blog is from March this year. However I don't own/use any apple devices anymore.

https://blog.pushbullet.com/

[Trixanity]

12 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Is pushbullet still actively being developed? Development stopped for iOS 2 years ago. 

Probably Apple policies that killed it on iOS.