Android has a new easy way to share contacts
By ForGeeks
AirDrop from Apple has long been considered a convenient and quick way to share files between the company’s devices. Android has Quick Share, but it’s the additional features based on the near-field sharing protocol – such as NameDrop, content sharing when devices get close, password sharing, and other features – that set AirDrop apart from its competitors.
AirDrop was introduced back in 2011, and in 2023 it got a new extension, NameDrop, in iOS 17. This feature allows users to share contacts by simply holding two iPhones or Apple Watches up to each other. It’s especially handy at work meetings and events, where dictating a number can sometimes be awkward.
There’s no analog to NameDrop in Android yet, but that could change. As Android Authority reports, experts have found mention of a new feature called Gesture Exchange in a test version of Google Play Services (v25.44.32 beta).
The lines in the code, including “gestureexchange_ndef_aid_description” and “gestureexchange_ndef_service_description”, indicate the use of the NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF). This hints that Gesture Exchange could become a system for exchanging contacts when devices physically come together, similar to NameDrop. We also found a new “ContactExchangeActivity” component in the code, which further confirms the work on the feature.
In the next version of Google Play Services (v25.46.31), researchers were able to activate the Contact Exchange Activity and see a preview of the interface. Judging by the screenshots, the sender will be able to choose what information to send: profile picture or Calling Card, phone number and email. The recipient will see the sender’s data and be able to save it.
If Gesture Exchange officially arrives in Android, it will be the second notable Apple-inspired feature, following Calling Cards. It’s not yet known when exactly Google will introduce its NameDrop counterpart, but leaks indicate that the company is actively working on it.
