Nearby Share (Android) and Quick Share (Samsung) merge. A strange announcement which remains shrouded in mysteries.
In recent years, Android has wanted to replicate Apple’s AirDrop. This protocol makes it easy to send files between two Apple brand devices, thus simplifying exchanges. Copies therefore appeared on Android, notably with Nearby Share, the Google version available on all devices running Android 6 and above, ChromeOS or Windows (10 or above), but also Quick Share, the solution launched by Samsung just before Google.
Why are we talking about it today? Well because it was the announcement that no one expected from this CES 2024: Nearby Share and Quick Share merge !
A new way to share files?
“ Together with Samsung, we bring together the best of our sharing solutions into a single solution for Android under the name Quick Share “, this is what Google’s press release states. We learn that the name and logo of Samsung’s solution take precedence over that of Google, which therefore fades in favor of its partner.
By doing this, Google quickly stems the beginnings of fragmentation at this level which could have made other players want to offer their own protocol, thus damaging Android’s image. In the past, detractors of the operating system have regularly criticized the multiplicity of services, which are not always intercompatible, which has the result of complicating understanding, and therefore use.
Google also specifies that collaborations are underway with PC manufacturers such as LG in order to natively integrate this new version of Quick Share on their Windows products. Currently, to use Nearby Share with a computer, you must download third-party software.
Nearby Share vs Quick Share, what’s the difference?
Besides being two different names, what were the real differences between these two services? Well, let’s start by saying that Samsung’s was reserved… for Samsung devices. If you have a Galaxy S23 Ultra, for example, you can easily send a photo to your Galaxy Book using Quick Share, but you need to use Nearby Share to do the same to a friend with an Android smartphone of another brand (or go through more complex manipulation based on cloud storage). Enough to tear your hair out.
For its part, Nearby Share is much broader, with Google wanting to see its solution on as many devices as possible to extend its possibilities. The only restriction is that you cannot transfer more than 500 files simultaneously… a rather difficult limit to reach anyway. Quick Share is a little more limited. You can only send up to 2 GB of files per day, and no more than 1 GB per send.
But then, what are the limitations of this merger? Google doesn’t specify this. We’ve requested more information on this and will update this article if the brand responds.