Android may replica Apple’s NameDrop to make touch sharing more uncomplicated

What you want to understand

• Google could also be operating on an alternative choice to Apple’s NameDrop characteristic for Android.
• The instrument may use NFC to make touch sharing between Android telephones seamless.
• It would permit Android customers to proportion their title, photograph, telephone quantity, and electronic mail in a faucet.

Google is catching as much as Apple in terms of ecosystem features and integration, but it still has work to do. There are many Apple ecosystem features that currently have no equivalent on Android, like NameDrop — an NFC-based contact sharing tool. However, that might be changing. Android Authority exposed the early workings of a Contact Exchange characteristic that would make for simple touch sharing in a long term Android replace.

Android Authority first noticed code regarding NFC information sharing in model 25.44.32 of the Google Play Services beta. The code incorporated nods to “Gesture Exchange,” “ContactExchangeTask,” and “ndef.” The latter time period is most probably a shortened model of NFC Data Exchange structure, in keeping with the document.

Gesture Exchange
Gesture Exchange

A more recent model of Google Play Services, v25.46.31, allowed tinkerer AssembleDebug to turn on what may well be Android’s upcoming touch sharing interface. While those are transparent indicators Google is operating on an more uncomplicated method to proportion touch playing cards on Android, just like NameDrop, we do not but know what the characteristic shall be known as. Or, if it is based completely on NFC.

What could Android’s NameDrop alternative look like?

For context, Apple added NameDrop with iOS 17, so it’s been available on iPhones for a few years now. Users create Contact Posters — which Google already brought to Android in the form of Calling Cards — with their name and a picture.

When they hold the top of their iPhone to another, they have the option to share their Contact Poster and contact information. The gesture can also be used to start SharePlay for communal movie-watching or game-playing.

The upcoming Android equivalent is less flashy at the moment, but that could change before the feature might release. It has fields for a photo, name, phone number, and email. There are checkboxes that let users select exactly what contact fields will be shared with another person. You also see a Receive only option that’ll share nothing with the other person.

After successfully using Contact Exchange, Android shows a screen confirming receipt and the contact details. From there, Android users could save the contact details transferred wirelessly to their phone and Google account.

It’s unclear when, or if, Contact Exchange might publicly release for Android users. Considering Google already borrowed iOS 17’s other flagship feature, Contact Posters, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it take inspiration from NameDrop as well.