Google hints at big AirDrop expansion for Android “very soon”

There is very little functional difference between iOS and Android these days. The systems could integrate quite well if it weren’t for the way companies prioritize lock-in over compatibility. At least in the realm of file sharing, Google is working to fix that. After adding basic AirDrop support to Pixel 10 devices last year, the company says we can look forward to seeing it on many more phones this year. At present, the only Android phones that can initiate an AirDrop session with Apple devices are Google’s latest Pixel 10 devices. When Google announced this upgrade, it vaguely suggested that more developments would come, and it now looks like we’ll see more AirDrop support soon. According to Android Authority, Google is planning a big AirDrop expansion in 2026. During an event at the company’s Taipei office, Eric Kay, Google’s VP of engineering for Android, laid out the path ahead. “Last year, we launched AirDrop interoperability. In 2026, we’re going to be expanding it to a lot more devices,” Kay said. “We spent a lot of time and energy to make sure that we could build something that was compatible not only with iPhone but iPads and MacBooks. Now that we’ve proven it out, we’re working with our partners to expand it into the rest of the ecosystem, and you should see some exciting announcements coming very soon.”