Google’s much-awaited Material You redesign or refresh Nearby Share is finally ready to compete with Apple’s AirDrop. Android users to date had to rely on third-party apps or Bluetooth. Despite appearing in late 2022, the Material You lacked retune, and that’s why it didn’t roll out widely. Now the tech giant is pushing Material You to make way for the fantastic feature. Google launched it for Windows as a beta application to help users transfer files between Android devices and PCs.
The update has already been infused into Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets. Most Google apps and devices embraced the Material You stilling, and the beta has been made available for direct downloading on android.com for Windows apps.
What is Nearby Share?
Nearby Share, available on a device supporting Android 6.0 or higher, helps users to share files and links instantly. Google claims it to be entirely safe and secure as you share your personal data with others.
Like Apple AirDrop allows users to share files from iOS to others, Google Nearby Share allows Android users to do the same.
You can transfer pictures, videos, audio, and documents between Android smartphones, PCs, and tablets.
How Does it Work?
When you initiate Nearby Share, a sheet slides into your view, and the device starts finding nearby devices.
Previously, when you opened it, a sectioned panel with wave animation moving from left to right appeared. With the redesign of Material You, there are changes for your better visual experience. The animations are more modern, both on the receiver’s and sender’s end. There are various shapes for animation and expansion behind the on-device profile avatar. The Material You refresh has brought pleasant visual changes to the main UI. Now, you won’t get to see the same monotonous animations throughout the file transfer process.
The transfer range between the two devices should be 16 feet or 5 meters maximum. The user has to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to share files.
The update is being rolled out gradually. The freshly launched beta application for Windows 10 and newer is available for direct download from android.com.
According to the tech giant, you can even share an entire folder in seconds between an Android device and a Windows PC. It will help you organize your digital folders more integrated way and edit photos on a larger PC screen.
Currently, the new beta has rolled out in selected regions, including the USA.
How Does Google Nearby Share Look?
The Google Nearby Share sheet keeps all its elements aligned centrally, including file details and device names. This has made the function cleaner than before.
The panel of the feature even integrates itself with the device’s color if it runs Android 12 or higher. To your surprise, it will match the color of the device’s wallpaper.
Besides, the icon of the feature is more prominent, and the share previews have an increased size.
You will experience a slight change in sending files as well. Available devices appear highlighted, with a star-style icon of Material You. In the case of large files, the Nearby Share panel shows a loading graphic featuring different Material You shapes. The panel also adheres to the color settings of your device in that case.
Since last December, these are all the new revamp of Material You that the UI users can experience while interacting with the app.
What is Material You Redesign?
Material You toggle is redesigned like a pill, and the M3 switch is, therefore, larger than the earlier one. The latest Material (M3) toggle features include a broader and taller track, new color mappings, and an icon in the switch thumb.
M2 switches have circular thumbs extending beyond the track, while M3 switches have a broader and taller track.
Is Nearby Share Android to iPhone Possible?
Many assume that the new app may help them transfer files between Android to iPhone. For those unversed, Nearby Share Android to iPhone is not, unfortunately, possible.
Which Other Apps have Got Revamps?
Along with the Material You toggle, that was rolled out with version 1.22.442.03.90, Google TV and Android Auto were also redecorated.
Conclusion
However, you may not immediately come across the changes in Nearby Share on your Android device. It may take weeks to implement those changes, as Google is introducing the redesign via a server-side update with its Latest Google Play versions. Anyways, you can wait for Android 14, which will likely come with several design tweaks and exciting features.
