Google breaks cross-platform barrier: Android’s Quick Share works with iOS AirDrop

Google has announced that its file-sharing feature Quick Share now supports direct interoperability with Apple’s AirDrop, marking a significant step toward closing the sharing gap between Android and iOS devices.

According to Google’s blog post, the new compatibility begins its rollout with the Pixel 10 family of phones. Users on a Pixel 10 can now use Quick Share to send files to iPhones, iPads and macOS devices.

The company emphasises that the connection is peer-to-peer, does not route data through a server and does not log shared content—a design intended to maintain user privacy.

Technical and industry commentators note this move as a meaningful advance in device ecosystem interoperability, long a pain point for mobile users crossing between Android and Apple hardware. For example, Android Authority describes this as “breaking down ecosystem barriers” by enabling Quick Share to work with AirDrop.

While the feature starts with a limited device set—the Pixel 10 series—it signals Google’s strategy of using flagship hardware to introduce major interoperability advances, then expanding support to broader device ranges over time.

Analysts see regulatory backdrop, such as the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, as a contributing factor. The move places additional pressure on Apple’s walled-garden model and may have implications for cross-platform file sharing standards in the future.

For users, the practical effects are immediate: a Pixel 10 owner can walk up to an iPhone user, enable their AirDrop visibility (Everyone for 10 minutes mode), choose Quick Share, select the iPhone, and send a file—seamlessly bridging the Android-to-iOS divide.

Looking ahead, Google says it expects to expand the compatibility to more Android devices and eventually support AirDrop’s “Contacts Only” mode, while inviting potential collaboration with Apple.

The announcement arrives at a moment when mobile ecosystems are under intensifying scrutiny for interoperability and user freedom. By enabling Quick Share to work with AirDrop, Google takes a tangible step toward a more open sharing experience across platforms—and sets the stage for further competition in the mobile sharing space.