Star Metro - Google expands easier file sharing between Android phones and Apple devices

Google has expanded cross-platform file sharing on Android, allowing more users to transfer photos, links, contacts and other files directly between Android phones and Apple devices without installing a separate app.On newer supported Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones, Android's Quick Share can communicate with Apple's AirDrop. Samsung users may need to enable the option to share with Apple devices in the Connected devices settings, while the iPhone must make AirDrop available to everyone for 10 minutes. Transfers can work in both directions when the Android device is configured to receive from nearby devices.For Android phones that do not support the direct AirDrop connection, Google has added a QR-code option through Quick Share. The Android phone creates a code that can be scanned by an iPhone camera, opening a temporary Google download page for the selected files.Google says files shared through the QR method remain in the cloud for 24 hours and do not count against the sender's Google Drive storage allowance. A single session can contain up to 1,000 files and can be shared with as many as 20 iPhones, iPads or Macs.Email, cross-platform messaging services and cloud-storage platforms such as Google Drive and Dropbox remain alternative methods. Standard Bluetooth file transfer is not available between Android and iPhone because Apple restricts that function on iOS, even though Bluetooth can still be used for accessories such as headphones.

O.Gauthier--SMC