Android's AirDrop-like file-sharing might be available beyond mobile

We've known that Android is developing an AirDrop-like sharing feature. But now we learn that Nearby Share (or Nearby Sharing OR Fast Share) might also be coming to Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome OS. The feature will let Android users directly share files, links, and photos with different devices, which is what AirDrop does for Apple devices. We don't know yet when it'll officially launch.

Nearby Share was spotted in the latest build of Chrome OS canary, but it doesn't seem to be working just yet. The feature has reportedly been in development for over a year already. A video released by XDA Developers earlier this year showed Nearby Share baked in the quick settings menu. And that it'll work best if the devices sharing files are within a foot of each other. 

Source: The Verge

Google tries to make an AirDrop competitor called Fast Share

It looks like Google wants to build its own take on Apple’s AirDrop feature. Called Fast Share, this will take the place of the deprecated, NFC-based Android Beam. The aim is to simplify file sharing between devices, including Android phones, Chromebooks, and possibly even iPhones. Everything from photos, files, to URLs and text snippets are supposedly going to be shareable to nearby devices without using the internet. According to 9to5Google, it’ll use Bluetooth with Location enabled, having physical proximity factored in. It can be accessed through the Share menu or by heading to Settings > Google > Fast Share. And you can give frequent senders “Preferred Visibility.” This feature seems to in testing right now. But if it goes public, do you see yourself using it?