I am amazed by Google’s daring Pixel AirDrop transfer, however I’ve 3 large issues

Google stunned everybody this week by doing the unthinkable and rolling out AirDrop help for the Pixel 10 with none hacks, straight by means of Fast Share. In case you have a Pixel 10 like me, now you can Fast Share with any iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and even AirDrop again from Apple units to your Pixel. And although it requires enabling sharing for “Everybody for 10 minutes” on each units, it’s seamless and sensible, and makes me marvel why we couldn’t have had this years in the past.

Nevertheless, the surprising information has definitely left many people scratching our heads. We first suspected the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) had one thing to do with it, however since Google basically went rogue and applied it with out Apple’s assist, it appears that evidently’s not the case. The timing is definitely “fascinating,” although. Nonetheless, I’ve some questions and issues about this daring Google transfer.

The primary query on everybody’s thoughts proper now could be: Will Apple block it? Extra importantly, can Apple block it?

Google caught everybody off-guard. There was no tease, no press launch below embargo, and extra importantly, not a single leak. Even our sleuths Mishaal Rahman and AssembleDebug hadn’t seen a touch of this of their Android and APK code digging. Google stated to everybody, “Hello, AirDrop help is rolling out now,” and all hell broke unfastened. As a tech author, it’s one thing I haven’t seen in years. The whole Android Authority group scrambled for hours attempting to know what simply occurred, how all the things works from a user-facing perspective, and what are the constraints. If our small group was on excessive alert, I can’t start to think about what went on inside Cupertino.

Google’s chess transfer was sensible and well-calculated, too. It had to make sure it couldn’t presumably look silly by Apple blocking it straight away, and there’s definitely a posh contingency plan prepared at Mountain View for any potential Apple response. However that brings me again to my query: What is going to Apple’s response be? Can it block this with out wanting just like the unhealthy man in entrance of Android and iPhone customers alike, and with out triggering an anti-competitive lawsuit from Google within the EU? Or will it embrace it publicly and even lengthen a hand in making it a much bigger actuality? Or possibly silence is the most effective strategy?

It should sting Apple, although. First it was unknown tracker alerts, then USB-C, then RCS and message interoperability — lots of the firm’s walled backyard fences have fallen in the previous few years. Although they’ve made no dent in anyway it its bottom-line or its public notion in its largest markets (US and China), it definitely doesn’t sit nicely with the execs and shareholders that Apple all the time seems to be shedding out in these battles. You may put a advertising and marketing spin on a loss, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a loss.

To this point, Apple’s deafening silence has all of us catching our collective breaths. And when you wanted proof that Cupertino had no concept this was taking place, its silence is already an enormous signal. If Apple knew, it will’ve been ready with a solution, both embracing the good-guy perspective and welcoming Android interoperability with iPhones or pretending it’s a safety breach and blocking it straight away regardless of Google’s thorough safety vetting. As an alternative, we’ve got nothing. So, how will Apple spin this? I can’t wait to see.

For now, solely a subset of Android customers can do this Fast Share-AirDrop interoperability, however from the way in which it’s been applied, it appears that evidently there’s no actual purpose why it couldn’t roll out to extra Pixels and all Android telephones.

Google has added the performance by updating the Fast Share Extension from a system app stub to a correct APK with a Play Retailer itemizing. Making it a Fast Share function — and never a “Pixel app” function — signifies it’s not linked to the Pixel collection and doesn’t require something Pixel-specific to work. Fast Share is managed by means of Play Companies, which is out there on all Android telephones. Though some Pixel-only options have rolled out to Play Companies up to now, most of its options are extra extensively obtainable throughout all Android telephones, resembling Cross-device companies, Passkeys, the Discover Hub community, and Theft Safety.

I perceive why Google needed to restrict the AirDrop compatibility to the Pixel 10 for now — testing for bugs, and limiting the general public harm if Apple blocks the function — however frequent sense and former historical past says Google ought to broaden this quickly as soon as it is aware of the coast is obvious. It would unfold to older Pixels first then to extra Android telephones, or Google may go berserk and simply say, “Duck it; all Android 10 telephones and above can now AirDrop!” after which watch all of it burn. Personally, I’d like to see that, however I’m suspecting the extra cautious rollout could be rather more real looking. So, which one will or not it’s, Google?

We all know the DMA’s Interoperability Act is forcing Apple to undertake the extra open and interoperable Wi-Fi Conscious 4.0 with iOS 26 for proximity-based file sharing, on prime of its present proprietary Wi-fi Direct Hyperlink (AWDL) that powers AirDrop. Due to the “Everybody for 10 minutes” limitation, although, the continuing concept is that Google isn’t utilizing the sanctioned Wi-Fi Conscious 4.0 implementation (or it will work regardless of the setting). As an alternative, it looks as if Google has managed to discover a backdoor to AirDrop, reverse-engineering the proprietary AWDL to make the Pixel 10 mimic an Apple gadget and its AirDrop handshake. This concept additionally explains the prolonged safety vetting.

On paper, Google has confirmed you possibly can decide the lock to Apple’s complete Continuity fortress. Possibly Common Management will likely be subsequent and third-party screens and units will likely be managed with the identical keyboard as your Mac. I can’t wait to maneuver my cursor from my Pixel Pill to my iMac on my desk; that will be a game-changer. Possibly AirPlay received’t be so unique anymore, so you may stream movies out of your Galaxy telephone to your good friend’s Apple TV with out even being on the identical Wi-Fi community. Or possibly Handoff and Common Clipboard will work seamlessly with Android units, too. As somebody who lives the Android + Mac life, I’d like to open a Chrome tab on my Pixel 10 Professional XL and discover it on my iMac, or copy textual content on my Macbook and paste it on my Pixel. And what about utilizing my iPad in SideCar mode with my Pixel?

I do know I’m getting manner forward of myself and Google has made no indication that it plans to undertake something past the easy AirDrop, however who is aware of?

Past this, may Microsoft replicate this to deliver AirDrop to Home windows? Might Samsung? Might Sony, DJI, or Insta360 implement this to switch massive information from their cameras to an iPhone, iPad, or iMac with out utilizing their clunky apps? Might Valve and Nintendo use it to make transferring screenshots from a Steam Deck and Swap to an iPhone simpler? Might Amazon use it to AirDrop books to a Kindle, or Meta to AirPlay movies on the Quest? Might Tesla do it for AirDropping movies recorded in Sentry Mode with out utilizing a USB drive?

There are such a lot of questions concerning the implications of this. This simply looks like a suspended second in time the place we’re seeing a small pindrop — Pixel 10 + AirDrop — however we may very well be on the verge of an avalanche. Solely time will reply all of those questions.