Samsung Electronics is adding a feature to Galaxy smartphones that directly connects with Apple's AirDrop, significantly expanding the link between the two major mobile ecosystems that had long been disconnected.
Samsung Electronics announced on its Mobile Press site on July 23 that the Galaxy S26 series will support compatibility with Apple's AirDrop through its proximity wireless file transfer feature Quick Share. Users will be able to send and receive photos, videos, documents and other files in both directions without using a separate messenger app or cloud service.
Until now, transferring files between Galaxy and iPhone devices required cumbersome workarounds such as KakaoTalk, email or cloud uploads. The update is expected to largely eliminate the constraints on sharing large files between devices running different operating systems.
The technology uses the same proximity wireless communication structure as before. It scans for nearby devices via Bluetooth, then transfers data through Wi-Fi Direct. The key breakthrough is that compatibility between Apple and Android devices, which had been blocked until now, has been unlocked with this update.
The feature will be rolled out sequentially in South Korea through a firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) update. It will then expand to major markets including the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with Japan receiving the update one day later. The feature will initially apply to the Galaxy S26 series, and Samsung is reviewing whether to extend it to other models.
Industry observers interpret the move as an "openness expansion strategy." Unlike Apple, which has maintained a closed ecosystem, Samsung is pursuing a strategy of strengthening connectivity with other platforms to broaden its user base, analysts say.
