With the introduction of Apple’s AirDrop, an app that allows users of iPhones, iPads, and Macs to share files among them using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, there has been a need for a similar feature on Google’s side due to tough competition from Apple. And with this, Google has introduced a similar kind of sharing app for its Android users, which is named ‘Nearby Sharing’. Initially, it was launched with the name ‘Fast Share’ and later on was renamed as ‘Nearby Sharing’. It has not been released yet.
Nearby Sharing allows the users to maintain their privacy as required since it allows the visibility settings to be hidden, shown to certain people or the public. People may change their device’s name for sharing if they wish to.
XDA Developers was able to test the unreleased feature between the Google phones, Pixel 2 XL and Pixel 4. It posted a video showing the testing and working of the new app. Both the phones had Android 10 in them. The app was running smoothly and allowed a quick sharing of files between the devices. According to XDA Developers, this app would be accessible for all android phones with Google Play Services preinstalled. Nearby Sharing also allows the user to accept or reject the incoming file as per their choice, which would prevent the transfer of any malicious files in them.
Nearby Sharing, previously known as Fast Share, is the successor to Android Beam. Android Beam makes use of NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi to send photos, videos, contact information, web page links, and more from one device to another just by bumping them together. The drawback of this app is that the device, which gets beaming to, needs to have NFC sensor. With the introduction of Nearby Sharing, which works using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, this problem has been solved as it does not require this sensor for its functioning.
The release of Nearby Sharing is awaited among Android users. It is expected to be launched at Google I/O or even before that. This app will make the transfer of files among the devices more secure and fast. XDA Developers has already shown the working of this app and the functions are up to the users’ requirements.
