Samsung to add AirDrop compatibility to Galaxy S26 series

A few months ago, Google introduced a feature that let Pixel phones transfer files and photos to Apple devices via Quick Share, which uses AirDrop. Until then, sharing across iOS and Android meant texting, email, or using Google Photos links — none as seamless as AirDrop.

Quick Share requires the receiving phone to be set to "Everyone for 10 minutes" and, in practice, worked only most of the time. Samsung announced the capability will come to the Galaxy S26 lineup starting 3/23 in Korea and later in the week in the US, with a wider roll out to other Galaxy devices at a later date.

Given Samsung's large share of the smartphone market, adding AirDrop compatibility through Quick Share could significantly broaden adoption. The change should help people who use MacBooks with Galaxy phones; the current method relies on an app called "Android File Transfer," which has been described as "not a good app" and "quirky." That often drives users toward cloud tools like Google Photos or Google Drive to move files between devices.

South Korea, United States

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