Everyone knows AirDrop stands out as top-of-the-line options throughout Apple gadgets, nevertheless it retains you tied to the Apple ecosystem. I like to recommend MacBooks with out hesitation, however I battle with iPhones at instances (my iPhone 15 Professional battery drains quick, and I gained’t get into that right here). With AirDrop on Samsung gadgets within the Galaxy S26 collection, telephone alternative begins to really feel extra open and fewer locked into one model.
Samsung’s new telephones share recordsdata with Apple {hardware} house owners
Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely
512 GB
Samsung’s newest telephones now allow you to ship photographs, movies, and different recordsdata to iPhone customers by means of Apple AirDrop. That form of connection between rival firms felt inconceivable to me just a few years in the past.
Samsung began rollout for the Galaxy S26 collection on March 23 in South Korea. The corporate plans enlargement into Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Latin America, North America, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan. Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Extremely customers will ship recordsdata to iPhones, iPads, and Macs by means of Fast Share as soon as updates attain every area.
Associated: Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25: What’s new and what’s the identical
Studies from customers present Galaxy S22, S23, S24, and S25 gadgets additionally obtain the replace in some areas. My teammate Lauren in Athens, Greece, checked her Galaxy S23 settings menu and nonetheless didn’t have the “Share with Apple gadgets” choice.
Why Apple opens file sharing to different gadgets
In 2024, the US Division of Justice and several other states filed an antitrust case towards Apple. They argued Apple broke competitors legislation by means of practices that preserve customers tied to iPhones and cut back switching between gadgets. Regulators centered on ecosystem lock-in, service bundling, and limits on cross-platform instruments.
The European Fee pushed Apple to open iPhone and iPad methods underneath the Digital Markets Act. That rule forces Apple to permit platforms to ship and obtain knowledge by means of AirDrop when linked with Apple gadgets. It additionally requires iOS to assist different file sharing companies that may compete with AirDrop in the long term.
Earlier than Samsung made a step, Google had already constructed a workaround that lets Pixel telephones ship photographs and different recordsdata to iPhones by means of AirDrop-style sharing. Apple didn’t participate in both effort. No less than, the Cupertino firm hasn’t issued a public assertion on Android gadgets utilizing AirDrop protocols.
I discover the timing fascinating. Samsung and Google push these options whereas Apple faces stress from regulators internationally to open iOS to third-party entry. The shift hints at a future the place file sharing throughout manufacturers feels regular, not locked inside one ecosystem, and customers achieve extra management over how gadgets join.
Earlier than you go
I nonetheless want Apple {hardware} in some circumstances, however I additionally see worth in cross-platform sharing when it simply works. You would possibly really feel the identical should you change between manufacturers or share recordsdata with individuals on totally different telephones. When Samsung’s rollout reaches full scale, you can find yourself selecting a telephone primarily based on what matches you, not what locks you in.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter overlaying expertise at Gadget Stream. His contributions embrace product critiques, shopping for guides, how-to articles, and extra.
