Google is one of those companies which works on almost everything. When you have millions of people working for you worldwide, sure you can achieve some great stuff. Lately, Google has been meddling with the idea of creating an Ecosystem of it’s own kinda like Apple.
Although Google has been building an ecosystem of it’s own for years now, the bigger picture has only in the later part of 2018 come to visibility. With a huge line of devices, Google is in a way into everything. But not everything in Google Ecosystem works together flawlessly.
Google has taken a page out of Apple’s book in making something which “Just Works” within the Apple ecosystem, i.e., AirDrop. Google has been working on a project to replicate AirDrop in it’s functionality and add Google touches. And unlike Apple, Google doesn’t plan to build Walls around it’s Ecosystem.
Android had an NFC based quick file sharing feature called Android Beam which was eradicated in Android 10. Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo announced that they were working on an Android Beam replacement together. And, here comes Google into the Big Picture. Tech GIANT Google has also been working on an Android Beam replacement before everyone knew it and it was called Fast Share. It was originally spotted in early June 2019. And as the new decade starts, Google has rebranded the service into Nearby Sharing.
Nearby Sharing is employing a Wi-Fi connection based transfer mechanism, via using Bluetooth to initiate handshake. This increases reliability and helps in the faster transfer of larger files when compared to Android Beam. Google has taken it’s time in developing this feature and has neither released nor announced this feature as of this time.
What makes Nearby Sharing different from the apps being developed by Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo, is that the Nearby Sharing is not an app, it’s a feature which will be embedded into the very heart of Android and Google will be working to improve the reliability of the service.
Nearby Sharing only works if the devices are within 1 feet of each other, and this I believe has been an idea implemented to ensure security. It has also been specified at the bottom of the share sheet.
Google has been improving it’s ease of use and looks, deciding to go with the materialistic design structure, which Google has been implementing with it’s all other apps with great success. November 2019 also brought an icon change for the feature.
With the new Google Play Services v20.1.03, it has been rebranded to Nearby Sharing from Fast Share service.
The Nearby Sharing feature was first discovered by 9to5Google. And in the latest update, the feature looks to be pretty finished as members at XDA Developers, who have been keeping a closer eye pointed out, and it seems like it’s nearing launch.
XDA Developer Kieron Quinn (@Quinny898) has got Nearby Sharing to work on his 2 devices and shows it off in a video. Check it out below.
Until Google officially announces and in time releases it, Fingers Crossed…
THE WHISTLING WIND 