14 DAY TRIAL // Tech giants are often accused of copying each other’s features for new products, and the latest to face such claims is definitely Microsoft, who is working on implementing AirDrop-like functionality in Windows 10.
Microsoft hasn’t publicly announced this feature, but Rafael Rivera posted on Twitter a screenshot showing the so-called “Near Share,” whose description seems to indicate that it’s a Windows version of Apple’s already popular AirDrop.
Near Share is not enabled by default in Windows 10, so users need to activate the quick action manually from the Settings app. Once they do that, they should also see a new entry in Settings > System > Cross-device experiences that lets them toggle Near Share on or off.
Specifically, the purpose of Near Share is to enable users to send and receive content from anyone else nearby by using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. There are options to choose the devices to share or receive content, and to configure the default location where files are saved.
Apple’s AirDrop
While it’s hard to tell at this moment, there’s a good chance that Near Share will only work with Windows devices, as is the case of AirDrop which only supports Apple’s products.
AirDrop, however, has been around for a while, and was introduced in Mac OS X Lion (Mac OS X 10.7) and iOS 7 back in 2011. It supports both Macs and iOS devices, requires Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and an iCloud account for sharing with contacts.
The description that Apple provides for AirDrop clearly shows that Microsoft’s Near Share is expected to provide similar functionality.
“With AirDrop, you can share photos, videos, websites, locations, and more with people nearby with an Apple device.”
Microsoft hasn’t commented on this new feature so far, but expect the firm to detail it when a new build is released sometime very soon. It should also be part of the Creators Update due in the spring when all users on Windows 10 should get Near Share capabilities.