A last-minute leak suggests Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series will introduce a key interoperability feature: direct file sharing with Apple devices.
According to leaker chunvn8888, who shared the information on X, the new flagship phones will support file transfers to iPhones, iPads, and Macs via Apple’s AirDrop protocol using Samsung’s Quick Share feature. The Galaxy S26 series is scheduled to launch today at 1 PM EST. If the leak holds true, the phones will be able to send files to Apple devices that have AirDrop visibility set to “Everyone.” Conversely, to receive files from an Apple device on a Galaxy S26, the Quick Share feature must be enabled so the iPhone or iPad can discover the Samsung phone.
The leak also indicates that this functionality is “most likely” coming to older Samsung phones, specifically through the upcoming One UI 8.5 software update. This would extend the capability beyond just the newest hardware. As chunvn8888 stated on X, “Galaxy S26 series now supports sharing files with Apple AirDrops via Quick Share. Most likely will come to older devices via newer 8.5 update.”
This potential move follows Google’s recent efforts to bridge the gap between Android and iOS. Last year, Google launched the Pixel 10 series with AirDrop compatibility via Android’s Quick Share, initially restricting the feature to that specific lineup. However, Google recently expanded support to the Pixel 9 series and announced it is working to bring the functionality to the broader Android ecosystem.
Google and Samsung merged their respective “Quick Share” branding in recent years to create a single, interoperable feature for Android devices. Despite this unification, AirDrop compatibility has remained exclusive to Google’s Pixel devices until now. Neither Samsung nor Google has officially confirmed that AirDrop support will arrive on the Galaxy S26 series.
If the integration is real, Samsung’s involvement would significantly expand AirDrop compatibility across the Android ecosystem. Samsung’s flagships generally sell higher volumes than Google Pixel devices, meaning a successful implementation would bring the cross-platform file sharing feature to a much larger user base globally.
