Galaxy S20 will have AirDrop alternative called Quick Share

By Adam Ismail
published

Sharing between Samsung phones is about to get a lot easier

(Image credit: Future)

On the list of reasons to switch to an iPhone, AirDrop is pretty high up there — if not number one. If you happen to own an iPad or Mac in addition to Apple's handset, AirDrop makes pushing files to and from those devices quick and painless.

Now, Samsung looks to be trying its best to eliminate that advantage, according to XDA Developers (opens in new tab). The website has posted screenshots of an app called Quick Share, which it reportedly received from a source in possession of a Galaxy S20+ 5G. That indicates Samsung will likely launch it in tandem with its upcoming series of Galaxy S20 flagships, due to be unveiled on Feb. 11.

Based on the screenshots, Quick Share looks to be your typical AirDrop replacement, advertising the capability to "share instantly with people nearby." Unsurprisingly, the individuals you wish to share with will have to be using either a Galaxy handset or a SmartThings-compatible device, which essentially means this method will stay a Samsung exclusive.

Interestingly, if you are looking to send something to a SmartThings product, the file will be uploaded to Samsung's cloud servers and then pulled down by the device in question. Because of this, it appears users will be limited by file size in terms of what they're allowed to share: only 1GB at one time, with a daily limit of 2GB. The daily limit is a bit peculiar, though it seems Samsung is somewhat concerned its customers would abuse the privilege of temporary cloud storage if they didn't impose some restrictions.

Also like AirDrop, Quick Share users will be able to restrict incoming files to those only listed in their contacts, if they so choose. XDA Developers reports that it downloaded Quick Share on two Galaxy S10 units, but couldn't get the feature working on those older models.

Those who closely follow Android goings-on will note that Google is also preparing its own similar, AirDrop-like protocol, called Nearby Sharing. We don't know when Google is planning to release Nearby Sharing; more importantly however, we also don't know what Quick Share's existence means for Nearby Sharing's availability on Samsung's upcoming phones.

Adam Ismail

Adam Ismail is a staff writer at Jalopnik and previously worked on Tom's Guide covering smartphones, car tech and gaming. His love for all things mobile began with the original Motorola Droid; since then he’s owned a variety of Android and iOS-powered handsets, refusing to stay loyal to one platform. His work has also appeared on Digital Trends and GTPlanet. When he’s not fiddling with the latest devices, he’s at an indie pop show, recording a podcast or playing Sega Dreamcast.

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Smartphones