Key Takeaways
- A Google Play services beta hints at drag-and-drop file-sharing support for tablets and foldables.
- The addition of drag-and-drop will simplify the file sharing process on large-screen devices, while also cutting a few steps.
- Interestingly, the Quick Share app for Windows already supports the drag-and-drop gesture for file transfers.
Sharing files between devices is as easy as ever thanks to built-in tools like Google’s Quick Share, although the experience isn’t consistent across all devices. For instance, the Quick Share app on Windows allows people to send files to nearby devices using a conventional drag-and-drop gesture. However, this functionality doesn’t extend to large-screen Android devices like tablets or foldables. But that could change soon, according to hints unearthed within the latest beta of Google Play services.
Related
It’s time to bring Android’s Quick Share to macOS
Why should Windows users have all the fun?
The folks at Android Authority dug into Google Play services beta v24.34.32 to find information that points to the imminent arrival of drag-and-drop functionality in the Quick Share app for Android. It works exactly as you would expect, mimicking the existing Quick Share experience on Windows desktops.
Tablet and foldable users currently have to select the files they want to send and tap the in-app Share button, which activates the sharesheet containing all the apps and services that facilitate file sharing, including Quick Share. However, incorporating a basic and widely known gesture like drag and drop will undoubtedly enhance the file-sharing experience on large-screen devices.
Not fully functional yet, but that could change soon
Android Authority managed to activate the feature to give us a demo of how it works, although it doesn’t appear to be fully functional yet. As the video above shows, users can select multiple files and drag them on top of the recipient’s name. However, the files aren’t going through at the moment. An onscreen toast that reads “Sharing 0 items” is visible from the video, suggesting that the feature is not yet ready for primetime.
Nevertheless, it’s evident now that Google is working on drag-and-drop support inside Quick Share for Android, though we don’t quite know when it will go live. But since the Play services beta already contains hints of this particular addition, we hope the wait won’t be too long.
In addition to being an effective file-transfer solution, especially for large-screen devices, drag and drop also saves a couple of steps currently required to send files via Quick Share. We presume this feature will also extend to Android smartphones, though it is undoubtedly geared towards owners of foldables and tablets.
