Google and Samsung may combine Nearby Share and Quick Share – Samsung

Every Android phone with Google apps preinstalled has access to Nearby Share, Google's file sharing service. However, if you have a Samsung device, this is not the only file sharing option, as there is also Quick Share developed by the company itself.

Although Quick Share is limited to Samsung devices, it predates Nearby Share and has some unique features that make it a popular choice among the company's users. But soon, Samsung users may not have to choose between Nearby Sharing and Fast Sharing, as the two file sharing services could be under the same umbrella.

According to the data discovered by the lead developer and leaker, Camilla WojciechowskaIn the new version of the Google Play Services app, there are indications that Google may rename the Nearby Share feature to Quick Share.

For example, after initially downloading the update, I received the following notification: “Nearby Share is now Quick Share. Find the new name and icon to share with nearby devices.” The new Quick Share name is also reflected in the file sharing UI.

Looking at Google Play Services, Kamila also found evidence of a “transition guide” for the new Quick Share experience. This suggests that the two file sharing services may be merging or at least becoming interoperable.

In this case, Samsung device users won't need to worry about accidentally selecting Quick Share instead of Nearby Share. There will be only one option, Quick Share, which will work with both Samsung devices and other Android devices from different manufacturers.

However, there is still no concrete evidence that the two services will actually be integrated. However, given the circumstances, it seems likely that we might see an announcement either at CES 2024 next month or at the next Galaxy Unpacked event, whenever that may be.