Google is quietly preparing one of the biggest upgrades for Android’s Quick Share yet: iPhone compatibility. 
The feature, which Google and Samsung unified last year, has so far been exclusive to Android devices. But a recent teardown of the latest Google Play Services beta reveals signs that Quick Share could soon bridge the gap between Android and iOS.
The discovery confirms earlier reports from nearly a year ago, showing Google has been working on this for some time. Once available, Android users will see a dedicated prompt when trying to send files to an iPhone. Interestingly, the beta code suggests that you’ll need to be signed in with a Google account to share with iPhones – a requirement not needed when sharing between Android devices. The reason behind this difference is still unclear. Some speculate that Google may rely on its own apps or account system to handle the transfer on iOS.
Although the timeline remains uncertain, the integration being spotted in Google Play Services indicates the project is moving closer to release. If it launches successfully, Quick Share could become the first true cross-platform rival to Apple’s AirDrop – and perhaps even the start of a bigger standoff between Google and Apple over messaging and file sharing ecosystems.