Rebranded Quick Share is finally rolling out to Pixels and it’s not an exact copy of Samsung’s

As we know from the news initially shared during CES 2024, and then followed up by the announcement of the January Pixel Feature Drop, Google and Samsung are yet again joining forces for good and bringing clarity to its users by combining Google’s “Nearby Share” and Samsung’s “Quick Share” into one name: Quick Share. This new rebranded product will be present in both Samsung and Pixel devices as a universal file sharing solution that can be used across Android, and soon, Windows.

Perhaps in an attempt to minimize confusion, Google’s Quick Share will fully replace Nearby Share on Samsung smartphones. This means that services like temporary link sharing and encrypted file transfer, which are available in Samsung’s Quick Share, will be unavailable in Google’s version. However, a new perk has arrived: nearby Quick Share devices are now displayed right in the share sheet, making file transmission easier, and eliminating the extra step of having to open the full interface.

However, there are some Pixel and OnePlus users reporting that particular perk of seeing their devices in Quick Share is not showing up for them. This suggests a gradual rollout with server-side flags. We will have to wait and see if this added feature sticks as the updated Quick Share rolls out more widely.

New “Quick Share” share sheet showing nearby devices vs old share sheet | Source: Android Police

Regardless of this initial hiccup and confusion, the Quick Share makeover should make file sharing easier across Android. As the rollout progresses, we will definitely be learning more about the specific features and functionalities available to different users and devices.