Android is finally getting the coolest iPhone file-sharing trick I missed most after switching to Pixel

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By Aman Kumar

Published: Apr 13, 2026, 2:50 AM

This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.

A man is holding an iPhone 16 in one hand and a Pixel 10 in the other.

iPhone 16 and Pixel 10. | Image by PhoneArena

If you've been following my stories, you would probably be aware that I recently switched from iPhone to Pixel 10. I'm genuinely satisfied with my phone's overall Android experience.

However, I really miss the iPhone's NameDrop capability on my Pixel. Fortunately, a few recent findings strongly suggest that a similar feature could soon arrive on Android as well.

What's so great about the iPhone NameDrop feature?

Before I talk about Android's recent development of a NameDrop-like capability, it's important to understand what makes this feature so special that I'm actually missing it after switching to Pixel. Apple introduced it with iOS 17, and it allows you to share data between two iPhones just by bringing their top edges together.

Whenever an iPhone user asked me to share my contact details with them, I would simply bring my iPhone 15 close to their iPhone, and my contact poster was instantly shared with them. Similarly, when I needed to share a photo or video with another iPhone, I would tap the share icon and then bring my iPhone close to the iPhone with which I wanted to share the file, and it was quickly sent to that device. However, it is worth noting that all this only works when you have the "Bringing Devices Together" toggle enabled under the AirDrop settings on both Apple devices.

Nothing like this is available on Android

I used to really like the NameDrop feature, but I never realized its importance until I switched to Android. You can't bring two Android devices together to transfer data between them.

The fastest sharing method that is available on Android phones is Quick Share. To use it, you need to make sure that it is enabled on both devices.

Although Quick Share has received many interesting upgrades recently, like the ability to transfer data between iPhones and select Android phones, I would really appreciate it if it also gained NameDrop-like capabilities. Fortunately, that's soon going to happen if recent findings pan out.

NameDrop-inspired feature could soon come on Android phones

Tap to Share feature on Android. | Image by Android Authority

I recently covered a story revealing that Android phones could soon get NameDrop-like power, as signs related to it were found in a leaked One UI 9 build. However, at that time, not much detail, like how the feature will exactly function, was available online. Now, a recent finding makes it crystal clear how it will actually work on Android.

The capability will reportedly be called Tap to Share on Android, and it will allow you to "instantly share contact info, photos, videos, links, common locations, and more." As I mentioned in my previous story, the feature will rely on the NFC chip that ships with most Android smartphones these days to function.

However, a major difference between NameDrop and Tap to Share is that the former requires placing the top edges of iPhones together, while the latter involves overlapping Android phones with both displays facing up. Although the surfaced screenshot highlighting this feature's functionality doesn't explain the reason for this requirement, it's believed that it's because the NFC chips are located in different positions across Android devices. This also suggests the feature won't remain exclusive to any particular Android brand.

That said, both Android phones will reportedly glow when the connection is established. This is similar to how NameDrop functions on Apple devices.

What's the one thing you miss most after switching from iPhone to Pixel?

Which Android phones could get the Tap to Share feature?

Since it's an Android feature, Pixel phones will almost certainly get it. In fact, the surfaced screenshot was reportedly taken on Google Play Services version 26.15.31 and appears to be from a Pixel device. Also, as I mentioned, its first sign was spotted in one of the One UI 9 update leaks.

So, Google and Samsung phones are most likely to get this upgrade. I believe it will be made available in a similar way to how the ability to share files between Android and Apple devices was introduced. For reference, it was first made available on Pixel phones and then rolled out to Galaxy devices, like the Galaxy S26, a few months later.

All that said, we are yet to hear anything about this particular upgrade from Google. While it's not certain, I believe the tech giant might share details about Tap to Share with the release of Android 17.

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Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.

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