February 6, 2026, 4:32 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
At the end of 2025, Google surprised everyone by announcing it had found a way to bring Apple’s AirDrop to its Pixel smartphones. So far, the feature is limited to the Pixel 10 series, but Google has already hinted that more Android devices will soon follow. The company has now confirmed at a press briefing that it is working with partners to implement this feature this year.
Until now, there was no easy way to send files between Android and iOS without using a messenger or cloud transfer. AirDrop was limited to iPhones and Quick Share to Android devices. However, at the end of November 2025, Google announced that it had reverse-engineered Apple’s AirDrop and integrated it into Quick Share.
Designed for All Devices from the Start
From the announcement, Google mentioned its intention to “bring the feature to more Android devices.” Instead of developing a Pixel-exclusive solution, the company created its own app called Quick Share Extension from the start. Users must download this app from the Play Store to send and receive files via AirDrop.
Although this extension is currently only available for the Pixel 10 series, the app solution allows Google to quickly and easily implement the feature for other Android devices.
Google Confirms Expansion for 2026
As reported by “Android Authority,” Eric Kay, Vice President of Engineering for the Android platform, confirmed at a press briefing in Taipei that the feature will not be limited to Pixel smartphones: “Last year, we introduced AirDrop interoperability. In 2026, we will expand it to significantly more devices.”
Google has created a robust system that includes AirDrop compatibility not only between Android devices and iPhones but also iPads and MacBooks. However, implementation for devices from other manufacturers is not without hurdles. Nothing was the first smartphone manufacturer to respond to Google’s announcement in November and promised its own implementation. Qualcomm also plans to support the feature on its Snapdragon chips for smartphones in the future.
Google has now officially confirmed that it is working with Android partners on the implementation. Eric Kay reportedly confirmed this at the press briefing: “Now that we’ve proven it works, we’re working with our partners to expand it to the rest of the ecosystem, and you can look forward to some exciting announcements very soon.”