Google Self Share Feature Spotted as Nearby Share Update, Will Make Sending Files to Yourself Easier: Report

Nearby Share is Google's version of Apple's popular AirDrop feature.

By Nithya P Nair | Updated: 18 January 2022 14:53 IST

Google Self Share Feature Spotted as Nearby Share Update, Will Make Sending Files to Yourself Easier: Report

Photo Credit: Google

Nearby Share helps transfer files to other Android devices quickly and wirelessly

Highlights

Google's new Self Share feature is under development
Files and texts can be shared between Android devices with Nearby Share
Google is planning to bring Nearby Share support to Windows PC this year

Google recently announced the expansion of Fast Pair to Windows PCs to let users easily set up Bluetooth accessories, sync text messages, and share files using the Nearby Share service. The tech giant is now reportedly working on a new addition for its Nearby Share feature. The new tool is said to be called Self Share, and as the name suggests will let users to easily transfer files to themselves across their own devices. Using Self Share, you can send files to yourself without the use of email or cloud drives. The feature is likely to use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi for transferring data to Chrome OS or Android devices.

Google is reportedly bringing modifications to the Nearby Share feature to allow users to share files to their own devices. Chrome Story spotted an experimental flag in the Chromium Gerrit suggesting the addition of a new Self Share tool in the Nearby Share. As per the report, the latest update will allow users to share files between their own devices through the Nearby Share method. Once the feature is live, the Nearby Share menu is said to have a new "Send to Your Devices" option.

In addition, as per a report by Chrome Unboxed, the Self Share feature will go through the Chrome OS Canary developer flag stage before a wide rollout, and thereafter hopefully make its way to platforms other than Chrome OS as well.

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Google unveiled the Nearby Share file sharing platform for Android smartphones back in 2020. With this, any two phones running Android 6.0 or above can quickly share files with each other. The feature is similar to Apple's AirDrop file sharing platform.

Later, the company added it to Windows users via Google Chrome. Since then, Google has been busy adding many new features to Nearby Share to rival Apple's AirDrop. The Nearby Share functionality automatically selects the best protocol for sending the files that could be Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, WebRTC, or peer-to-peer Wi-Fi. Recently, during CES 2022, Google said that it is working with Acer, HP, and Intel to bring the Fast Pair and Nearby Share experiences to select Windows PCs first later this year.

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Further reading: Google, Nearby Share, Self Share, Google Update, Google Chrome, AirDrop

Nithya P Nair

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Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More