There were times when the technology was not so advanced. Peer to peer sharing of texts, links, and photos was a huge feat. Bluetooth connectivity, SMS and MMS, and using emails to share pictures and videos directly through the camera devices was a norm. However, thanks to the much-needed technological advancement, sharing of all these things across devices became a lot easier gradually as app developers started coming up with messaging services like WhatsApp and others. Although this peer to peer sharing became very efficient over all these years, one thing that remained unchanged was the sharing of apps across devices. Usually, when a friend of yours would like an app on your device, there would have been no option for you to share that app with them. Instead, they would have to go to the app store to download it on their phones.
However, Google Play’s Nearby Share feature is now going to make this possible. Since 2018, the idea has been circulating and Google has been working on it. Finally, now, Google has announced that very soon, this feature will be coming as an update on our phones as a part of a global launch.
As the name suggests, Nearby Share will allow the sharing of Android apps to recipients through a simple process. If you are the sender, then you will have to click on the ‘Manage Apps and Games’ page on Google Play Store, and from there, just open the ‘Share Apps’ menu, which will be a new addition.
Once you tap on this option, a listed menu will spring at you with all the apps that are available to be transferred. You can skim through them and choose whichever app you want to share. The person who will be at the receiving end will just have to accept the apps being sent to them. Google Play claims that the transfer speed is exceptionally fast in comparison to a regular download. Also, this transfer can be made without internet connectivity. Much like how Bluetooth works.
Google Play also claims that this type of transfer can help to save a lot of data, and people with slow internet connectivity can also benefit from this feature. Instead of spending their data on downloading some apps, they can ask their friends to just share those apps with them through the Nearby Share feature.
As mentioned above, there are many ‘peer-to-peer’ sharing options available, but this feature sounds more promising in terms of efficiency and the direct approach and usage. Let us see how people react to it when it launches officially and how it makes a difference.
Read next: Google Maps announces the introduction of a “Go Tab” to its app
However, Google Play’s Nearby Share feature is now going to make this possible. Since 2018, the idea has been circulating and Google has been working on it. Finally, now, Google has announced that very soon, this feature will be coming as an update on our phones as a part of a global launch.
As the name suggests, Nearby Share will allow the sharing of Android apps to recipients through a simple process. If you are the sender, then you will have to click on the ‘Manage Apps and Games’ page on Google Play Store, and from there, just open the ‘Share Apps’ menu, which will be a new addition.
Once you tap on this option, a listed menu will spring at you with all the apps that are available to be transferred. You can skim through them and choose whichever app you want to share. The person who will be at the receiving end will just have to accept the apps being sent to them. Google Play claims that the transfer speed is exceptionally fast in comparison to a regular download. Also, this transfer can be made without internet connectivity. Much like how Bluetooth works.
Google Play also claims that this type of transfer can help to save a lot of data, and people with slow internet connectivity can also benefit from this feature. Instead of spending their data on downloading some apps, they can ask their friends to just share those apps with them through the Nearby Share feature.
As mentioned above, there are many ‘peer-to-peer’ sharing options available, but this feature sounds more promising in terms of efficiency and the direct approach and usage. Let us see how people react to it when it launches officially and how it makes a difference.
Read next: Google Maps announces the introduction of a “Go Tab” to its app
