Nearby Share: Google expands exciting Android feature

Google equips the popular Android feature Nearby Share with new features. In doing so, they are fixing some restrictions thanks to which the feature, which was introduced in August 2020, was previously very limited, and are thus adapting to Apple’s counterpart AirDrop in parts.

Nearby Share with new features

Nearby Share thus finally makes it possible to wirelessly transfer files, links or even installed apps to other Android devices when they are nearby. For example, from an Android smartphone to a Chromebook or tablet.

This works with individual files, images or videos, and even entire folders. All you need to do is connect the devices to your Google account and log them in. Then a new item is supposed to appear in the “Share” menu, with which the sharing process is carried out.

And that’s even when the receiving device’s screen is turned off. The new update is expected to make its way into Nearby Share in the coming weeks, as Google reveals.

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New options in the future

Sharing will thus become even easier, bringing it in line with Apple’s AirDrop solution – a feature Android users have long been waiting for and one that offers added convenience.

In addition, Google holds out the prospect of bringing Nearby Share to devices “that you use most often and with which you want to share files” – including Windows PCs and laptops. It’s a feature that was announced at CES 2022.

However, Google did not yet reveal a date when sharing from Android to Windows will be possible. There is only talk of “in the course of time”.

Nearby Share even works when the Android smartphone from which the files are to be transferred does not have an Internet connection. Various technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, UWB and WebRTC are used here to automatically determine the most efficient way to share.