Exclusive: Android could soon get its own AirDrop-style ‘tap to share’ feature

TL;DR

• Android may soon support sharing not just contacts, but also files, by tapping two phones together.
• Evidence of the feature spans across Samsung’s One UI 9, Google Play Services, and Android 17 system-level code.
• All signs point to a wider rollout that could bring this feature to many Android devices, not just Samsung phones.

---

Quick Share could be getting an even bigger update than we previously thought, bringing it on par with Apple’s AirDrop. This isn’t just based on a single discovery. It’s something we’ve been tracking across multiple teardowns over the past few months, and all signs now point to a broader Android-wide feature in the works.

Authority Insights

You're reading an Authority Insights story. Subscribe to our new Authority Insights newsletter for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Back in September 2025, we spotted early signs of NFC-based file sharing in One UI 8.5. The feature showed up under an experimental Labs section with animations suggesting you could bring two devices close together to transfer files. At the time, it looked like a Samsung-only experiment. But then things went quiet.

from Android Authority https://ift.tt/Y1TF0Om