Sending an original-quality video from Android to an iPhone can still take more steps than it should. Google wants to make nearby sharing feel like an ordinary part of the app you're using, instead of a separate task.
At Android Dev Summit 2026, Google outlined a Quick Share SDK for Android and iOS, expected in the first half of 2027. The key detail is that developers will be able to add nearby transfers directly to their apps. This is an announced developer feature, not an update you can install today.
Send files without leaving the app
Today, sharing a photo often means opening the phone's Share menu, selecting Quick Share and switching to a separate transfer interface. An app that adopts the new SDK could open a smaller sharing panel inside its own screen. You would choose a nearby device and confirm the files without losing your place.
Picture editing a video or sorting a set of photos, then sending the originals to someone beside you. The workflow could stay inside the editor or gallery. That's the real improvement: fewer steps, not another file-sharing app.
The SDK also targets iPhone apps, so it isn't simply an Android-to-Android feature. But an SDK only gives developers the tools. Your favourite app must actually integrate it, and compatible devices still matter.
Local sharing, not another cloud upload
Google's planned approach uses nearby device connections, including Wi-Fi Direct on supported hardware and automatic hotspot setup where needed. The announced features include end-to-end encryption, offline transfers and sending photos or videos without compressing them first.
That matters for large files. A local transfer can avoid a cloud upload, preserve the original file and work without mobile data. It doesn't mean every Android phone suddenly shares with every iPhone: the exact device, app and system requirements have not yet been published.
There is an important distinction. Google's existing Quick Share and AirDrop compatibility announcement already covers certain phones, including the Google Pixel 10. On other Android phones, Google's QR-code sharing option can involve the cloud. The upcoming in-app SDK is a separate step; it does not make all existing sharing methods identical.
When will you get it?
Google showed the plan in its Android Dev Summit session on cross-device interactions. The target is the first six months of 2027, not a confirmed release day. Google has not provided a final list of supported apps, minimum OS versions or a country-by-country rollout for the SDK.
So there is nothing to activate yet. If you frequently send full-quality files between an Android phone and an iPhone, watch for two announcements next year: the SDK becoming available and your preferred app adding support. Until both happen, keep using the sharing method your devices already support.
