Google unveils Nearby Share for Android

Just select a file and the system will show you which devices in the vicinity you can send it to.

Google officially presented proprietary technology for convenient data transfer between Android devices - Nearby Share or "Sharing with the environment." It will be available on smartphones with Android 6.0+ and will allow you to instantly share files, links and images with people around you.

The user just needs to select what he wants to send, and in the "Share" section, click "Share with the environment." A pop-up window will display a list of nearby devices. In the settings, you can activate the visibility of your gadget for other users or disable detection. The data transfer itself works via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and WebRTC (Web Real Time Communications) - the channel is selected automatically.

Google assures that Nearby Share is based on the principle of privacy, so you can safely share and receive files without worrying about the security of your personal data. You can also send and receive files anonymously. In addition, you can make your smartphone visible only to some contacts so that you can only receive files from friends.

The function will be added to devices with the update of Google Play Services. Starting today, Nearby Share will start appearing on Google Pixel and Samsung smartphones, and in the coming weeks - on gadgets from other manufacturers. You can check the availability of the function in the device settings in the item "Google" → "Device connections" → "Exchange with the environment".