Key Takeaways
- Samsung and Google’s unified Quick Share app allows for seamless file sharing across Android, Windows, and ChromeOS.
- The unified app may soon allow sharing files over mobile data via a toggle, as spotted in a new Play Services beta.
- Samsung’s OG Quick Share app allowed file transmission over mobile data, but the feature was removed in the unified app.
Samsung’s Quick Share and Google’s Nearby Share merged earlier this year into a single cross-Android solution that retained the South Korean tech giant’s branding. The Quick Share app, which essentially lets you share files across Android, Windows, and ChromeOS, utilizes Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi for transmitting files to nearby devices.
With Samsung’s iteration of the feature, users could even transmit files over mobile data — and it looks like the setting is now making its way to the unified Quick Share app.
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Google’s latest Play Services v24.41.32 beta adds a toggle to enable file transmission over mobile data, as highlighted by Android Authority, offering users more flexibility and control over their local file sharing experience.
It’s worth noting that we’re not seeing the toggle after updating, so there might be certain flags that need to be tinkered with for the feature to show up.The new file sharing option should be useful in situations where two devices are not on the same Wi-Fi network or when the file size is too large for Bluetooth to handle efficiently.
Further, Android Authority’s report highlights that while Samsung’s original Quick Share mobile data file sharing toggle offered a “Data may be used for small files” fine text, the toggle on the unified app does not, which might suggest that users will be able to transmit large files over mobile data. Be cautioned though, carrier charges will apply.
Drag and drop over mobile data?
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Quick Share will soon let you drag and drop files using larger devices
Better late than never
In other Quick Share news, the application might soon gain a Windows-like drag and drop feature, which, as the name suggests, will allow you to drag the likes of photos, documents, audio, and more, and drop them in the Quick Share panel to transmit.
As expected, the functionality will likely be limited to large screen devices like tablets and foldables, and considering that it, too, was found in a Play Services beta, it likely won’t be too long before Google starts rolling the feature out, akin to mobile data transmission support.
