Survey suggests Android users are loving AirDrop but fear Apple's wrath

Google has accomplished the unthinkable. Late last week, it announced that Pixel 10 users can now Quick Share files with Apple devices via AirDrop. It’s a massive coup for Google and for Android users in general. While the functionality is currently limited to Google’s top-level smartphone line, Qualcomm has hinted that the feature could be extended to more phones in the future.

It’s all brilliant news, but there’s a caveat: Google hasn’t collaborated with Apple to achieve this feat. As my colleague Adamya Sharma noted, Google has gone rogue. This raises the question: Is Apple silently pleased with this development, or will Cupertino sever the new commonality between Android — currently represented by the Pixel 10 series — and iOS as soon as it can?

We posed the question in a poll across much of our AirDrop coverage this past week. Here’s what we gleaned from the results.

Do you think Apple will try to block AirDrop on the Pixel 10?

More than 3,400 votes were cast on this issue, and readers aren’t too confident that the party will continue.

A notable 83% of respondents believe that Apple will, in some way, disable the Quick Share/AirDrop functionality. Nearly half of this portion think this will take the form of a “security upgrade,” while the remainder suggest Apple will be more direct about it.

The remaining votes were split evenly. Approximately 9% of readers believe Apple’s reaction will depend on how its users respond to the feature. This is where my vote went, and it seems that many readers who commented on our various articles agree.

“I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max, 5 iPads, 2 Macs, and 2 Apple Watches. I also own a Pixel 10 Pro XL,” wrote jumbohannonsf.

“Being able to transfer files between the two platforms is extremely useful. If Apple tries to kill this, they are basically telling me they don’t care what their own customers want because I certainly WANT THIS.”

The remaining ~9% believe that Apple has more important things to do than focus on Android users giddy about file transfers.

Apple’s feelings towards the sudden cooperation between Quick Share and AirDrop are anyone’s guess. The company hasn’t issued any statement yet. There’s no doubt that Google’s move has ruffled some feathers, if not between the two companies, then among users on both sides of the issue.

Do you agree with your fellow readers who believe that Apple will restrict this functionality? Either way, let’s keep the conversation going below.