AirDrop and Quick Share Interoperability Rolls Out to More Pixel Phones

In November, Google surprised everyone by opening up AirDrop’s walled garden and making it compatible with Quick Share. This enabled interoperability between Android and iOS and allowing seamless file sharing, though the feature was initially available only on the Pixel 10 series. The good news is that the functionality now appears to be gradually rolling out to the Pixel 9 series as well.

Google expands AirDrop and Quick Share support to Pixel 9 series

Some Pixel 9 owners on Reddit (via Android Authority) report that they can transfer files between their phones and Apple devices using Quick Share-AirDrop. One Pixel 9 Pro XL user says the option is live on a stable Android build. Another claims the feature appeared after updating a Pixel 9 Pro.

However, availability appears inconsistent. Several users in the same thread say they still do not see the option. This suggests this may be a gradual, server-side rollout, which happens quite often and that also means you can keep checking for the feature.

Adding to the intrigue, earlier this month Google invited select media to Taiwan, where VP of Engineering for Android Eric Kay said that AirDrop and Quick Share interoperability will expand to more devices, with the company working alongside other partners. “You should see some exciting announcements coming very soon,” Kay added.

That said, Google is following through on the promise it made when it launched the feature exclusively on the Pixel 10 series. There was no timeline then, and there still is not one. But considering Pixel 9 series has started picking up, so more Pixel devices should gain the feature in the coming weeks. The Pixel 8 series is likely next in line, though it remains to be seen how quickly that happens.