In light of another developer's preview, Google has been planning to include a so-called "Fast Share" feature within the new and upcoming OS updated Android 11. This was rumored in July of 2019 that it would be similar to Apple's Airdrop.
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It enables users to share files instantly
This feature will allow everyone to quickly send files between devices. Though according to the notes reported by 9to5Google, Nearby Sharing formerly 'Fast Share' has appeared under the 'Known Issues' section of the Developer Preview 2 release notes.
The note says, "When sharing files with Fast Share between two Pixel 4 devices, the operation completes successfully, but the UI on the device which receives the file states that it did not receive the file." Apparently, there is a problem when attempting to use Fast Share between two Pixel 4 devices.
There were plans on debuting this feature last summer
It was rumored to debut on Android 10 last summer but obviously did not happen. This was after Samsung's introduction to 'Quick Share' which dropped on the Samsung Galaxy S20. Similar to Apple's AirDrop, a smartphone that appears on the Quick Share screen is allowed to transfer files.
According to a demonstration by Phonearena, a 1.1GB 8K video from a Galaxy S20 Ultra only took Fast Share 28 seconds to send to a Galaxy Z Flip using Quick Share
On Fast Share, this feature would have used the Nearby section of Google Play Services for it to connect to different devices via Bluetooth and will be able to transfer files using a Wi-Fi connection.
There were also possibilities of Fast Share to send files through different devices such as the Wear OS Smartwatch, Pixel 3 and Chromebook.
Android 11 Developer Preview 2
Along with the Fast Share feature, there are a lot of new things on the Android 11, including behavior changes, which are the system changes on your phone that can affect your application when running on Android 11. New safeguards will also be implemented to protect user privacy.
There will also be new APIs for 5G, media, NNAPI, sharing, connectivity, biometrics and more to come. New compatibility tools are included, as well as the option to migrate apps. Plus, some storage updates, a new variable refresh rate, call screening service improvements, hinge angle for those who are using foldable phones, and a 5G State API that can be used together with the dynamic meteredness and bandwidth estimator API.
Users have been excited to find out more about this new OS update and how it will run on their devices this time around compared to the previous one.
This new Android 11 update is mostly to give out full details on Google I/O which will take place in May 2020. Though the rollout will likely be the same time as the Pixel 5 launch.
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