This is something I never thought I would see. AirDrop is available on Android.
Android started picking up popularity around 2010, and it has been my main platform for software development and personal use ever since. The rivalry between iPhones lovers and Android fanatics was passionate and lasted for years. More than a decade.
But as mobile has matured, the lines between the platforms have blurred. When one side created a significant feature, the other side would build the same.
Some examples are:
Android was first to have app switching/multitasking; the iPhone followed
iPhone was the first to support fingerprint; Android soon added it
In 2017, Android brought picture-in-picture mode; iPhone did it just as well in 2020 (although iPad was first in 2015)
Android had RCS messaging first in 2018; the iPhone added it in 2024
Regardless of how close the two became, I always expected AirDrop to be strictly an Apple technology.
I was dead wrong.
Google announced that the Pixel 10 can transfer files with Apple devices over AirDrop. This should work with iPhone, iPad, and macOS devices.
Cross-Platform World
Across the computer industry, competitors are becoming more aligned. We now live in a cross-platform world.
This is more convenient for users, but it ignores a gigantic piece of human nature. We definitely look for convenience and the easiest option; however, competition is also a basic part of our psychology. The "us versus them" mentality. People often say this mentality is bad or old-fashioned, but it is innate. We can use it to our advantage; otherwise, it's a missed opportunity.
I'll write more on this point later.
Google Only
Right now, only Google's phones support AirDrop. I predict it will become a standard Android feature soon.
