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Google Confirms AirDrop Compatibility Is Coming to More Android Phones in 2026

The company says its Pixel 10 pilot is evolving into a broader Quick Share capability delivered as an updatable Play Store component.

Overview

  • Eric Kay, Google’s VP of Android engineering, said support will extend to “a lot more devices” this year with announcements promised “very soon.”
  • Google has not named specific partners, models, or rollout dates, but says it is working with OEMs to bring the feature across the Android ecosystem.
  • Quick Share’s interoperability has been moved into a full APK on the Play Store, enabling faster, wider distribution beyond Pixel hardware.
  • Google emphasizes a peer‑to‑peer design built with Rust, internal threat modeling and red‑team testing, and third‑party validation by NetSPI, with data not routed through servers.
  • Cross‑platform transfers still require Apple devices to use AirDrop’s “Everyone for 10 minutes” setting and do not tap Apple’s contact‑based sharing; the feature first debuted on Pixel 10 in November 2025.