Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:Samsung’s Quick Share now works with AirDrop, starting with Galaxy S26– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
Samsung has said that AirDrop support, via Quick Share, is now rolling out to the Galaxy S26 series. Starting with the Galaxy S26 lineup, users will soon be able to exchange files directly with Apple devices using a system that mirrors AirDrop functionality.
The rollout has begun in South Korea and is expected to reach the US within days. Samsung says the feature will gradually expand to other regions, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Latin America, before arriving on more Galaxy devices at a later stage.
At the centre of this update is interoperability. Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra users will be able to wirelessly send files to nearby Apple devices with minimal friction, provided both devices are set to be discoverable. The feature is not switched on by default, though. Users will need to head into Settings, navigate to Connected devices, then Quick Share, and manually enable the option to share with Apple devices. For transfers to work, both devices must be set to “Everyone” visibility.
Samsung’s move follows a similar breakthrough from Google, which first introduced a workaround for AirDrop compatibility on Android through its Pixel 10 series in late 2025. That capability later expanded to the Pixel 9 lineup earlier this year. Samsung now becomes the second major Android manufacturer to adopt this cross-platform approach.
Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Picture: The Telegraph / Mathures Paul
However, there is a technical caveat. The feature depends on an updated version of Google Play Services. According to details shared on Samsung’s Korean community forums, devices must be running version 26.11.xx or newer for AirDrop compatibility to function. At present, many devices are still on version 26.10.xx, though the newer build has already entered the stable release cycle and should roll out more widely over the coming weeks.
While users can manually check for updates via the Play Store listing for Google Play Services, more advanced methods such as sideloading are best approached cautiously due to potential security risks and compatibility concerns.
With this update, Samsung is taking a step towards easing long-standing barriers between mobile ecosystems.