One app to rule them all
This shift means the standalone Quick Share app provided by Google will be phased out on Samsung laptops (and PCs). According to the release notes for the latest Quick Share app update from Google (version 1.0.2180.0), come May 28th next year, attempting to use the Google version on a Samsung laptop will prompt you to install Samsung’s own Quick Share application instead.Google has already updated its app, paving the way for this transition. The application has been renamed from “Quick Share from Google” to simply “Quick Share”, and crucially, compatibility with Samsung’s version has been added.
Quick Share to a Windows laptop. | Image credit — Samsung
Streamlining the sharing process
This move aims to streamline the file-sharing experience for users within the Samsung ecosystem. For a while now, there have been two “Quick Share” experiences floating around: Google’s Nearby Share (which was rebranded to Quick Share early last year) and Samsung’s own Quick Share feature, which predates Google’s widespread adoption of the name. This created some confusion, especially when sharing between Samsung phones, non-Samsung Android devices, and Windows PCs.Google and Samsung announced plans to merge these experiences back in early 2024, aiming for a unified file-sharing solution similar to Apple’s popular AirDrop feature that works seamlessly between iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Other alternatives like Microsoft’s Phone Link also offer ways to bridge phone and PC, but Quick Share focuses specifically on rapid, direct file transfers. This upcoming change on Samsung laptops is the next logical step in that consolidation effort, ensuring Samsung users have a consistent experience managed directly by Samsung across their Galaxy phones and Galaxy Book computers.
Handing control over to Samsung for its own laptops makes a lot of sense. It should reduce confusion and hopefully lead to a more integrated and seamless file-sharing process for people invested in Samsung’s hardware. While swapping apps might involve a quick download and potentially getting used to a slightly different interface, having a single, manufacturer-managed Quick Share application on Samsung PCs is ultimately a positive step. It moves towards a less fragmented experience when you just want to send a photo or document from your phone to your laptop quickly, simplifying a common task.
