For some time now, it's been rumored that Google is working on an AirDrop -like file transfer feature. The feature is called Nearby Sharing and, similar to AirDrop, would allow Android users to wirelessly transfer files, such as photos, videos, links, and more, to nearby devices.
The idea is to have an internal file sharing system, rather than relying on apps like ShareIT and Xender.
As announced yesterday, Google's file sharing feature will support all popular operating systems, including Windows , macOS, Linux , and ChromeOS. According to Chrome Story , a Nearby Share Toggle has appeared in the Chrome OS Settings app in the latest builds of Chrome OS Canary.
The feature must be enabled from chrome://flags, as it is not entirely visible. Furthermore, even if a user enables it, nothing happens, which means that Google has not yet finalized Nearby Share.
According to the description, the flag “enables Nearby Sharing for sharing content between devices. – Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS.” It’s clear that the new feature for Android, also referred to as Fast Share, will support all platforms that have Google Chrome installed.
Previously, XDA's Mishaal Rahman posted on Twitter some screenshots of the "Nearby Sharing" app in Android 11 Beta 1. All of this indicates that the Nearby Sharing feature is about to leave the development stage soon and will be released soon.
However, Google isn't the only major company looking to bring a unified file sharing system to Android. Previously, OnePlus, Realme, Black Shark, Meizu, OPPO, and Vivo joined forces with Xiaomi to create an internal AirDrop-like file sharing system.
