Older Galaxy Phones Gain AirDrop Support With Caveats
▼ Summary
– Users report seeing the “Share with Apple devices” option for AirDrop support in Quick Share on older Galaxy phones like the S22, S23, S24, and S25 series.
– This update is arriving via the Galaxy Store and is visible to some users on both the One UI 8.5 beta and stable One UI 8.
– The AirDrop feature is not yet functional, as toggling the switch does not enable the actual sharing capability.
– The full functionality is expected to be activated later, likely with the stable release of One UI 8.5.
– Samsung’s move follows Google, which added this AirDrop support to Pixel phones, and OPPO has also confirmed plans to offer it.
Owners of several older Samsung Galaxy models have discovered a promising new option in their device settings, signaling the impending arrival of a major cross-platform feature. The Share with Apple devices toggle, which enables AirDrop support via Quick Share, has begun appearing for users of the Galaxy S22, S23, S24, and S25 series. This development follows Samsung’s recent collaboration with Google to integrate the functionality into its newest flagships, extending the potential for seamless file sharing between Android and Apple ecosystems to a much wider user base.
The update appears to be rolling out through the Galaxy Store, with multiple reports from users on community forums like Reddit. Notably, the visibility of the option is not limited to those testing beta software. While many One UI 8.5 beta users have received it, some individuals on the stable One UI 8 release are also seeing the new switch in their Quick Share settings.
There is, however, a significant limitation for the time being. Although the toggle is present and can be activated, the underlying cross-platform functionality does not yet work. Selecting the option to share with nearby iPhones or Macs currently yields no result. This indicates that Samsung or Google must still enable the backend service on these devices. The full, working feature is widely expected to become available with the public release of the stable One UI 8.5 upgrade, though an official timeline has not been provided.
This expansion of Quick Share’s AirDrop support represents a key step in a broader industry shift. Google first introduced the capability on its Pixel 10 series earlier this year, later bringing it to the Pixel 9 family. Other manufacturers are following suit, with OPPO confirming plans to add the feature to its own flagship devices. The move places pressure on other major Android brands, such as Motorola, Xiaomi, vivo, and HONOR, to implement similar cross-platform sharing solutions and improve interoperability in a fragmented market.
(Source: Android Authority)
