Got a Pixel 10? Google’s Android Phone Can Now Share Files With Apple’s AirDrop

The caveat is that the iPhone user will need to switch AirDrop to “Everyone for 10 Minutes” mode instead of “Contacts Only” mode. Google says this is not a workaround. It is a direct peer-to-peer connection; Your data is not routed through a server, shared content is not logged, and no additional data is shared. Naturally, iPhone owners will be able to send data back to their Pixel 10 phones as well.

Google has not worked with Apple on this cross-compatibility, with the company saying it “welcomes the opportunity” to work with Apple so that this sharing functionality can work in contacts-only mode. “We accomplished this through our own implementation,” a Google spokesperson told WIRED. “Our goal is to provide an easy and secure file sharing experience for our users, no matter who they communicate with.”

In a security blog post, Google says the core strategy that makes this new synergy between Quick Share and AirDrop work is the memory-safe Rust programming language. “These overlapping protections on both platforms work in concert with secure connectivity to provide end-to-end security for your data when it’s shared or received,” wrote Dave Kleidermacher, Google’s vice president of platform security and privacy.

Google has hired NetSPI, an independent third-party penetration testing company, to verify the security of the new sharing feature. Results? Interoperability is “significantly stronger” than other industry applications. This is pretty important, considering what happened the last time someone tried to improve cross-compatibility between iOS and Android without Apple: startup Beeper tried to make texts from Android phones appear as blue bubbles on iPhones and caused all kinds of drama.

The number of people who can actually use this feature is limited because it is only available on the latest Google Pixel 10 smartphones, which were just launched last August. However, Google says it is looking to expand the feature to more Android devices in the future.

This new Quick Share feature is rolling out starting today on the Pixel 10 series, which includes the Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. While it’s rolling out, you may not see it immediately on your device. To use it, all you have to do is select something to share, whether it’s a file, a contact, or a photo, choose Quick post in the Sharing menu, and make sure that the iPhone owner has set AirDrop to “Everyone for just 10 minutes“Your iPhone will be able to see your Pixel 10 and can receive or send data.