Imagine you’re out and about with your Android tablet or Chromebook, and you need an internet connection. Normally, you’d have to fumble around with your phone, activate the hotspot, find it on your other device, and then enter the password. Not exactly a smooth process, especially when you’re in a hurry. This is where Instant Hotspot steps in. It lets you connect your tablet or Chromebook to your phone’s hotspot with just a single tap, eliminating the need for passwords and tedious setup.
This kind of seamless device interaction is reminiscent of Apple’s Continuity features, which have long been praised for their ease of use. It’s great to see Android borrowing a page from Apple’s playbook, making the user experience smoother and more intuitive.
However, as Mishaal Rahman reported for Android Authority, there’s one notable exception to this new feature: Samsung devices. For reasons unknown, Instant Hotspot won’t be available on any Samsung phones or tablets. This is a bit of a bummer for Samsung users, especially those who own both Samsung phones and tablets. While Samsung devices already offer their own Auto Hotspot feature for seamless connectivity within their ecosystem, this new feature would have extended that convenience to other Android devices as well.
Image credit: Google via Mishaal Rahman/Android Authority
It’s not entirely clear why Samsung devices are excluded from this feature, but it could be a strategic decision to encourage users to stay within the Samsung ecosystem. Regardless, Samsung users will still be able to utilize Instant Tethering with their Chromebooks and Link to Windows with their PCs.For everyone else with an Android phone running Android 11 or newer, the Instant Hotspot feature is a welcome addition. It’s a small change, but it can make a big difference in how we use our devices on the go. This feature is part of Google’s ongoing effort to improve the Android ecosystem, and it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
