{"id":662,"date":"2026-03-31T03:46:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T02:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovatenews.site\/index.php\/2026\/03\/31\/these-samsung-galaxy-phones-are-set-to-add-airdrop-you-probably-cant-sideload-it\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T02:46:10","slug":"these-samsung-galaxy-phones-are-set-to-add-airdrop-you-probably-cant-sideload-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/innovatenews.site\/index.php\/2026\/03\/31\/these-samsung-galaxy-phones-are-set-to-add-airdrop-you-probably-cant-sideload-it\/","title":{"rendered":"These Samsung Galaxy phones are set to add AirDrop \u2013 you probably can\u2019t sideload it\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The topic These Samsung Galaxy phones are set to add AirDrop \u2013 you probably can\u2019t sideload it\u2026<\/strong> is currently the subject of lively discussion \u2014 readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.<\/p>\n

This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies\u2019 decisions and competitors\u2019 reactions can quickly change the picture.<\/p>\n

Following Samsung\u2019s Galaxy S26 series, more Galaxy phones are set to add cross-compatibility with Apple\u2019s AirDrop and new findings not only reveal a list of devices, but also a way to enable it early \u2013 maybe.<\/p>\n

Google figured out a way to make Quick Share compatible with Apple\u2019s AirDrop and launched that functionality first on the Pixel 10 series. It later rolled out to Pixel 9 and, last week, debuted on the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung has been clear from the beginning that it intends to roll this out more widely, as has Google in terms of the broader Android ecosystem.<\/p>\n

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The folks over at GalaxyClub noticed that, if you sideload the needed app updates, AirDrop functionality appears on some older Samsung Galaxy devices. The needed versions are Quick Share v13.8.51.58, Quick Share Agent v3.5.22.24, and Quick Share Connectivity v1.5.13.15. And, sure enough, running the latest updates via the Galaxy Store on a Galaxy S25 Ultra on the One UI 8.5 beta does indeed leave the device with an added \u201cSharing with Apple devices\u201d menu, just like the Galaxy S26 series.<\/p>\n

We were also able to get this working on a Galaxy Z Fold 7 by sideloading the Quick Share extension v1.0.874307641 \u2013 you should only sideload at your own risk and from trusted sources, of course.<\/p>\n

according to the data GalaxyClub, Samsung\u2019s \u201cSharing with Apple devices\u201d menu item appears on:<\/p>\n

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Other older Galaxy A-series devices were not showing the menu when updated, but there\u2019s nothing ruling out support being added in future. It\u2019s very clear that Samsung plans to, eventually, roll this functionality out quite broadly.<\/p>\n

That said, AirDrop isn\u2019t actually working just yet, at least as far as we can tell.<\/p>\n

On the two devices we got this \u201cSharing with Apple devices\u201d menu to appear in Quick Share, AirDrop doesn\u2019t actually work between the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 7 we tested. Neither device was visible to an iPhone 15 Pro or a MacBook Air, nor were those Apple devices showing up for our Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, a Pixel 10 and a Galaxy S26 Ultra nearby were both able to show up to the Apple devices.<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t rule out that it might work for some users, but it\u2019s not working for us just yet.<\/p>\n

Leaker Tarun Vats claims that some have managed to get AirDrop working on the One UI 8.5 beta, but we\u2019ve not been able to find any public reports supporting that. Dozens of replies to Vats show that, yes, the new menu appears, but that AirDrop doesn\u2019t actually work yet.<\/p>\n