Apple and Google (with Android) pretend like they hate each other, but they also copy each other all the time, and they pay each other.

You've probably heard about a recent secret deal (it's just a rumour, but also an open secret) that Apple will work with Google to improve Siri using Gemini (Google AI), but some people may not know that Google has been paying Apple billions of dollars just to keep 'Google' as the standard search engine in Safari.

Now, for the first time ever, Apple and Android devices will be able to airdrop files to one another.

This is in part due to the EU.

Without getting technical, the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA) 'forced' Apple to switch the WiFi protocol it was using for Apple Airdrop from a closed standard, to a more open standard, which is also similar to the one Android is using.

Translated, Apple's Airdrop and Android's Quick Share are now compatible.

This, without having to dwell too long on the EU and the DSA and whether that's a good thing or not and whether Apple is better than Android and so on... is a thing.

Broadly speaking, Airdrop (and Quick Share) is safer, much faster, and more efficient than any other option.

If you and I are in a pub together and have our picture taken and I'm on Android and you're on Apple (or vice versa) and I want you to also have our picture, every other option is worse, for a couple of reasons.

First, Airdrop/Quick Share doesn't require a third party, which add an extra layer that contributes to reducing the level of privacy of that picture.

Second, airdropping files takes seconds whether you're airdropping one picture or 10 videos.

Third, sharing via WhatsApp, Instagram, etc compresses the file and therefore dilutes the quality, whereas with Airdrop and QuickShare you get the original file.

So that's good.

The only catch, for whatever reason, this is currently only available on Pixel 10.

For now.