Damien Wilde / Android Authority
TL; DR
- As discovered in an APK teardown, Google was able to tweak the functionality of the Quick Share tile.
- This new functionality bypasses several current dialog boxes and worksheets to make sharing files with others faster and easier.
Google has been steadily improving it Share quickly feature since it merged with Samsung’s similar offering earlier this year. After unveiling some of the newer tricks, including the return of some Nearby sharing features, a new quality of life addition could soon affect the Quick Settings tile.
You read one Authority Insights story up Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won’t find anywhere else.
A MOT disassembly helps predict features that may appear on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, such predicted features may not make it to a public release.
When we dug deeper into the Google Play Services beta v22.44.31, we discovered a subtle but important change in the functionality of the Quick Share tile on Android devices. Currently, when users tap the tile, they are presented with several dialog boxes asking them to enable Bluetooth (if it is disabled) and another sheet that allows them to adjust their visibility settings.
Current initial dialogue
New initial dialogue
The screen after you tap “Select files to send.”
However, the new functionality takes users directly to a “Ready to Receive” dialog box. This dialog allows users to select files they want to send immediately, getting the sharing process started much earlier than before. Notably, the same dialog box appears when tap on the Received knob in the Files by Google app. The Select files to send button, when tapped, also opened our standard Android file chooser.
It’s a small change, but this new functionality has clear benefits. It speeds up the sharing process by automatically opening device visibility to anyone nearby. Tapping the tile will also automatically enable Bluetooth, while closing this new sheet will automatically disable it.
It is important to note that this has security implications as your device will be visible to anyone within range during this process. Nevertheless, the new functionality should bring the “Quick” back to Quick Share and eliminate the hassle of going through several dialog boxes to send a file to another user.
Do you have a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at [email protected]. You can remain anonymous or get credit for the information, it’s your choice.
Comments