It’s in beta yet.
There are times when you need to send a file from your phone to your laptop. It used to be a clunky process for non-Mac or non-iPhone users. You may choose to send the file to your own email or upload it to cloud storage. Google is aware of this predicament. It’s now working on a tool that makes it easier to send files to yourself.
Introducing Google’s Self Share
Google introduced Nearby Share recently. But it’s only available on ChromeOS and Android. It’s designed to compete with Apple’s AirDrop.
Unfortunately, Nearby Share is not as convenient as AirDrop when it comes to sharing files with your own devices. But according to this story, Google has launched an experimental tool called “Self Share.” As the term suggests, it makes it easier to share files with your own devices.
The experimental tool can be enabled. When it’s on, you can see an option stating “Send to your devices.” It works similarly to Nearby Sharing. That is, it would choose the best way to send the file, whether through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.
It’s still in the experimental stage. It will arrive on the Canary development channel. Although it can take a while before it becomes widely available, it can be a welcome addition to Nearby Share.
Chrome OS
However, the feature is only launching for Chrome OS. But Google may still expand it to other devices.
During the CES 2022, Google announced that it was going to bring Nearby Share to Windows. But the feature has been in the works for many years.
Android to Windows PCs
The Nearby Share feature allows users to connect with Android phones to a compatible Windows PC. It’s easy to see that it’s a great alternative to AirDrop.
When your devices are set up, you can connect to Bluetooth accessories, share files with Nearby Share and sync your text messages.
The complete details of the feature are scarce. However, Google stated that it’s working with Acer, HP, and other OEMs to bring this feature to some Windows PCs later this year.
Self Share feature would help boost interoperability between Google-based computing devices. However, there’s still a long process to go before Google devices can work the same way as Apple products in terms of sharing files.
Magical Experience
There are several features in iOS that make the experience magical. One of them is AirDrop. This file-sharing technology makes it easier to send files between iOS and macOS devices. It’s an invaluable tool for many types of users, like photographers. They don’t have to rely on dongles or Internet connections to send photos or files to and from the computer.
And this is one reason many Android users want to have such functionality on their devices. That is, the ability to share files between Android-based devices and Google will soon be rolling it out. The Nearby Share is a welcome feature but the Self Share is even better.
