Google appears to be engaged on a brand new ecosystem function that would lastly deliver true cross-device syncing to Android.
Android’s reply to Handoff is getting nearer to actuality
The back-and-forth between Android and iOS is nothing new and this time, it’s Google’s flip to borrow an thought from
Apple.
In response to a brand new report, Google is engaged on a function much like Apple’s Handoff – and it may very well be accessible throughout all
Android telephones which have Google Play Companies.
The up to date function is designed for syncing throughout a number of Android gadgets, letting you do extra than simply share information. You’ll reportedly be capable to sync notifications between gadgets (sure, lastly past simply Pixel and Galaxy telephones), share media and even entry apps out of your main machine remotely in your different Android gadgets.
If this sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of Apple customers have already got one thing related known as Handoff. It permits duties began in suitable apps to be picked up on one other Apple machine, so long as all the things is signed in to the identical iCloud account.
Samsung has additionally carried out one thing like this with its personal App Continuity setup, permitting file sharing, name answering, hotspot toggling and extra between Galaxy gadgets.
That mentioned, the rollout for such a function on Android is of course slower. Not like iOS, which solely runs on Apple gadgets, Android has to work throughout tons of various manufacturers, so tweaking cross-device options to suit all of them takes a bit longer.
Cross-device syncing might lastly go Android-wide
Google Play Companies v25.25.31 beta contains the code hinting on the Handoff function. | Picture credit score – Android Authority
Proof for the brand new Handoff function was present in Google Play Companies, which is an enormous deal – as a result of it means this may very well be an Android-wide function, not simply one thing restricted to Pixels or Samsung telephones.
If Google will get this proper, the function might, in idea, allow you to hyperlink a OnePlus cellphone, a
Samsung pill and a Pixel Watch and have all of them work collectively – no matter model. Notifications, apps, media and information may all sync throughout your gadgets without having to remain locked into one firm’s ecosystem.
I say in idea as a result of, in fact, it’s nonetheless early days, and we should see precisely how this all works as soon as it formally rolls out. And if it does roll out, as a result of Google has a historical past of testing options that don’t fairly hit the mark and ending up scrapping them. Nevertheless, I’m fairly positive this one received’t be a kind of.
That is the sort of improve Android actually wants
I believe options like Handoff are the sort of quality-of-life upgrades we needs to be seeing extra usually from huge tech – not simply one other wave of flashy AI options, which have been dominating the dialog for effectively over a 12 months now.
And Google is definitely in a very good place to make that occur – it’s behind Android, in any case, the OS powering round 70% of smartphones globally. And to be truthful, the corporate is clearly engaged on making Android higher in actual, on a regular basis methods.
And with Apple lately asserting
iOS 26 – stuffed with refined however very welcome quality-of-life enhancements – it makes whole sense that Google would wish to spotlight its personal upgrades. This can be a sensible second to remind customers that Android is transferring ahead, too.
