Google has announced a major change for Pixel 10 owners: the new phones can now send and receive files directly with Apple devices over AirDrop, a feature that has always been exclusive to Apple devices. The feature works with iPhone, iPad, and macOS, and Google says it built the entire system without any involvement from Apple.
A Google spokesperson, Alex Moriconi, confirmed that the feature is launching first on the Pixel 10 series but will expand to more devices later.
To send a file from a Pixel 10 to an Apple device, the Apple owner must set their AirDrop settings to allow discovery by everyone. Apple also provides a ten-minute timer to limit this period. Once that is enabled, the Pixel user can select the Apple device through Google’s Quick Share and send the file normally. The Apple user will see the request just like any other AirDrop transfer and can approve it.
Transfers also work in the opposite direction. A Pixel 10 must be set to “receive mode” or discoverable to everyone. Then, the Apple user can start an AirDrop transfer, and the Pixel owner can accept it.
Google detailed the engineering approach in a security blog post. The company states that the connection is direct and peer-to-peer, meaning that no content passes through servers, no transfers are logged, and no additional data is shared. Google also hired NetSPI, an independent security firm, to conduct penetration testing on the feature.
Moriconi confirmed that the system was “our own implementation” and that Apple did not participate in its development. When asked how Apple might respond, Google said only that it “welcomes collaboration opportunities” on interoperability between Android and iOS.
Apple has not yet commented.
For years, AirDrop has been one of Apple’s strongest ecosystem features, simple, fast, and exclusive to its devices. With RCS now available on iPhones and this new sharing capability arriving on Pixel devices, the gap between Apple and Android ecosystems continues to shrink.
Although this feature is not yet available for all Android devices, its debut on the Pixel 10 marks one of the most significant steps toward cross-platform compatibility in recent years.