Samsung phones gain AirDrop support with limitations
▼ Summary
– Samsung released a software update enabling Quick Share to work with Apple’s AirDrop for the Galaxy S26 series.
– The company is now extending this AirDrop compatibility to older Galaxy models via updates to the Quick Share app and its modules.
– However, the feature is currently non-functional for many users, failing to detect nearby Apple devices or appear in AirDrop menus.
– The rollout has been inconsistent, with some users seeing the new option after updates and others not.
– A few users report that updating device firmware and Google services made the feature appear, though it still does not work.
A significant software enhancement is now reaching a wider range of Samsung Galaxy devices, enabling a new level of cross-platform file sharing. Following its debut on the new Galaxy S26 series, support for Apple’s AirDrop protocol is being extended to several older models through updates to the Quick Share application and its related modules. This expansion includes popular phones like the Galaxy S22, S23, S24, S25, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7, potentially simplifying file transfers between Android and Apple ecosystems for millions of users.
The rollout method is notable, as Samsung is delivering this functionality not via full system updates but through targeted app updates available via the Galaxy Store and Google Play. This approach can allow features to reach devices faster. Early adopters who installed the new Quick Share and Quick Share Connectivity updates did find a new “Share with Apple devices” option appearing in their sharing menus, signaling the intended integration.
However, the current implementation comes with significant limitations and bugs. For many users, the feature is not yet operational. Reports indicate that even when the option is visible, attempting to use it fails; nearby iPhones, iPads, or Macs do not appear in the device list, and the Samsung phone itself remains invisible to Apple devices searching via AirDrop. The experience has been inconsistent, with some users unable to see the option at all until they also updated their device firmware, Google Play System, and Google Play Services.
This phased and apparently unstable rollout suggests the underlying cross-platform compatibility is still being refined. While the foundation for seamless sharing between Galaxy phones and Apple hardware is being laid, widespread and reliable functionality may require further software patches from Samsung. The company’s commitment to bridging this ecosystem gap is clear, but users of older devices should anticipate that the feature might require additional updates before it works as intended.
(Source: SamMobile)
