WhatsApp is planning to create a new file sharing system. It will not only be compatible with Android, but also with iOS. Above all, it will be possible to exchange files from Android to iOS or vice versa. And that's not all! Here are all the details revealed by the latest beta version of the messaging app.
Apple users know it well: Transferring a file from one device to another is very simple. Whether between two products belonging to the same person (iPhone and MacBook, for example) or two iPhones from two different people. The feature is called AirDrop. Until very recently, AirDrop did not require an internet connection to work. Just a local connection. With iOS 14, an internet connection makes it easier to transfer large files. But this remains optional.
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Android users can enjoy similar services. Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo joined forces in 2019 to create a standard that Realme and OnePlus joined forces with (unsurprisingly, since they are Oppo brands). Then in 2023, Google launched Nearby Share, which was later merged with Samsung’s Quick Share. Nearby Share does pretty much the same thing as Airdrop on Android and ChromeOS, and even on Samsung devices.
WhatsApp is working on local sharing between iOS and Android
But you probably have friends who have a smartphone that runs a different operating system than you. Whether it's iOS or Android, AirDrop or Nearby Share does not allow sending files from one system to another.To do this, you need a cross-platform actor whose job is to send data, instantly and securely, between two platforms. Who meets these criteria?
This is where WhatsApp comes into the picture. In the latest beta version of the app, numbered 24.15.10.70, the beginnings of a local sharing system were discovered by our colleagues from WABetaInfo. Back in January, a leak had already announced that WhatsApp was working on this. Now it’s more concrete. The functionality is similar to a local matchmaking system that works without internet access. And the sending is completely secure, just like messaging.
A simple QRCode is enough to connect the two devices.
To create a relationship between two devices, WhatsApp relies on Authentication via QRCode : The sender of the file displays on the screen of his smartphone a code that the recipient must read. In this code you will find all the information necessary for communication: it is impossible to contact a stranger without wanting to. It is possibleSend any type of file : Photo, video, document or more. It reminds us of how Nintendo Switch screenshot sharing works… without any restrictions and limitations.
Note that the trial version of the app also includes a system Easier sharing between two Android smartphonesWhich should definitely rely on the Nearby Share feature to discover and connect to nearby devices. Since this feature is still in beta, there is no official date for its rollout to all users. But this feature is great news. Especially for those who use WhatsApp to share photos and who sometimes feel disappointed by the stress the app puts on files. With this local sharing feature, the photos will remain intact.
