Bluetooth and Wi-Fi file sharing has been a hot topic at the start of 2024, with a big Android feature being rebranded. It’s time to say goodbye to Nearby Share, becauseQuick Share is the new norm, as Google announced in conjunction with Samsung atCES 2024. It’s basically a new name for what will be the unified wireless file sharing experience on Android smartphones starting in February. Just like Apple’s AirDrop working on iPhones and MacBooks, the Quick Share feature will work between phones and computers, albeit those running Chrome OS and Windows (with a quick app download needed on Windows). This is pretty neat, and a unified experience across the mobile operating system is welcomed, but WhatsApp just muddied the waters again with its latest developments in beta.
WhatsApp’s development is constantly in flux, as its owner — Meta — increases its already massive international presence. Beta updates for people in theGoogle Play Beta Programare frequent, and its latest feature has shown its development legs in beta version 2.24.2.20. As discovered byWABetaInfo, WhatApp is working on a Bluetooth file sharing tool for users nearby. Recently, WhatsApp enabled a new feature that allows users to share files sized up to 2GB. WhatsApp hopes this will help make file sharing even simpler between WhatsApp users on Android, but we think this just leads to potentially more confusing moments.
When using the feature, WABetaInfo reports that both parties will need to open the “Share Files” section on the app and remain there until the transmission is complete. Sharing is still encrypted end-to-end, so WhatsApp intends to keep this as secure as its normal, non-Bluetooth, file-sharing method. Users will have to shake their phone to share, it seems.
This is definitely a useful feature for people who mainly use WhatsApp, but with Google and Samsung’s recent Quick Share news, it doesn’t make too much sense. Heck, back in August, we said thatNearby Share was becoming as seamless as AirDrop. Working with Samsung to rebrand to Quick Share, which wasinadvertently “leaked” by a beta of Google Play Servicesin December, indicates just how committed Google is to seamless Bluetooth file sharing. So, in turn, is this really needed from WhatsApp? We’re not sure, but we can tell you thatWhatsApp just announced voice notes and polls for Channels, among other things, in an update this week from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
