AirDrop support is coming to the Galaxy S26 linup, other Samsung devices to follow

Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S26 series will add AirDrop support via its Quick Share service, making it easier to share files wirelessly between Android and iOS devices. The update will begin rolling out to Galaxy S26 users in South Korea starting March 23, with expansion to the United States later that same week, followed by a gradual rollout in other markets.

In its initial phase, AirDrop support will be limited to the Galaxy S26 lineup. However, Samsung confirmed plans to extend the feature to additional Galaxy devices at a later stage, without specifying which models will receive the update or providing a detailed timeline.

The update introduces a new level of integration between Apple and Samsung devices, particularly benefiting users who own products from both ecosystems. With the new compatibility, users will be able to send and receive photos, videos, and other files quickly and easily between nearby Galaxy phones and iPhones, without third-party apps or cloud services. To enable the feature, users can navigate to Settings, then “Connected Devices,” select “Quick Share,” and choose “Share with Apple Devices.”

This move is part of Samsung’s broader efforts to improve cross-platform compatibility and enhance the user experience across different operating systems. Quick Share was first introduced with the Galaxy S20 series in 2020, seven years after Apple launched AirDrop in iOS. In 2024, Quick Share was merged with Google’s Nearby Share, expanding its availability to non-Samsung Android devices, as well as Chrome OS and Windows computers.

This is not the first attempt to enable AirDrop-compatible sharing on Android devices. In November 2025, Google introduced initial interoperability support between Quick Share and AirDrop on Pixel 10 devices, marking the first time files could be transferred directly between the two ecosystems. The company plans to further expand this integration to more devices throughout 2026.

The introduction of AirDrop support on Galaxy devices represents a significant step toward narrowing the gap between the Android and iOS ecosystems. It also reflects a gradual shift among major tech companies toward greater interoperability, rather than maintaining closed systems. As the feature expands to more devices in the future, file sharing across platforms may become seamless regardless of the operating system, addressing a key challenge for users for years.