Android 17 May Bring AirDrop Like Tap to Share Feature

Apple’s AirDrop allows easy file and contact sharing by simply bringing two iPhones close together. Now that Quick Share allows file transfers to iPhones via AirDrop, we may soon see a similar feature come to Android devices. Android 17 may introduce this feature, making file transfers faster and more seamless than traditional methods.

AirDrop-like tap to share could debut with Android 17

According to Android Authority, an APK teardown of One UI 9, Google Play Services, and Android 17 system code reveals this new feature. It is reportedly called “Tap to Share”. The feature allows users to share files and contacts by holding two devices close to each other. In leaked One UI 9 builds, the feature suggests placing the top of your phone near another device to start the transfer.

This feature will likely rely on NFC. Therefore, it may not be limited to Samsung devices and could work across the Android ecosystem. Internally, Quick Share in One UI 9 references a feature named “Gesture Exchange.” However, devices without NFC, especially some budget models, may miss out on this feature.

In this setup, NFC helps detect nearby devices, while Quick Share handles the actual file transfer. Samsung and Google seem to be working together again, similar to their past collaborations, to bring this feature on board.

AirDrop has always been one of Apple’s most popular features for file sharing. While some Android devices can already share files using Quick Share, the process is still not as seamless and also requires a few manual steps. This new feature could finally make file sharing on Android simpler, faster, and intuitive.

The feature may debut with the stable release of Android 17, with brands like Samsung bringing it to their devices through One UI 9. For now, we’ll have to wait and see how it develops in the coming months.