Google is quietly building an Android feature that looks a lot like Apple’s NameDrop: a quick way to swap contact details just by bringing two phones together. Hidden inside recent versions of Google Play Services, the feature is currently known as “Contact Exchange” and “Gesture Exchange”, and it appears to use NFC to beam your info to someone nearby. Android Authority
Over the last 48 hours, coverage of the leak has exploded. Android Authority’s APK teardown and early UI screenshots have now been echoed and expanded on by outlets including Android Central, 9to5Google, Android Headlines, SamMobile, Hindustan Times, and others — making this one of the big Android stories of mid‑November 2025. Hindustan Times
Key takeaways
- Google is testing a NameDrop‑style feature for Android, currently labeled Contact Exchange and Gesture Exchange inside Google Play Services. Android Authority
- It appears to be powered by NFC, with code strings referencing NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format), though Bluetooth or other radios could also be involved. 9to5Google
- Early UI screenshots show a simple sheet where you choose which details to share — photo, phone number, email — or opt to “Receive only” and just grab the other person’s card. Android Authority
- Because the feature lives in Google Play Services, it’s likely to roll out via an Android / Pixel Feature Drop rather than waiting for Android 17 — and it could reach most modern Android phones with NFC. Android Headlines
- There’s no release date and no official name yet, and like all APK‑teardown discoveries, there’s a chance it ships in a very different form — or never launches at all. Android Authority
What is Google’s “Contact Exchange” / “Gesture Exchange”?
The story begins with the beta 25.44.32 build of Google Play Services, where Android Authority spotted new strings referring to “Gesture Exchange,” “Contact Exchange Activity,” and an “ndef” service description. NDEF is a standard format for NFC data, a strong hint that this is an NFC‑driven feature. Android Authority
Shortly after, a newer beta, Google Play Services v25.46.31, allowed tinkerers to actually launch the hidden ContactExchangeActivity, revealing an unfinished but functional contact‑sharing interface. Android Authority
Android Central summarises it bluntly: Google appears to be “working on an alternative to Apple’s NameDrop,” with the goal of making contact sharing between Android phones seamless instead of the current mix of QR codes, manual entry, and ad‑hoc sharing methods. Android Central
How the feature is supposed to work (so far)
Based on all the leaks and screenshots:
- You trigger the feature (somehow — the gesture isn’t known yet).
- A bottom sheet pops up, showing your name, profile photo, and contact details.
- You tick which fields to share: typically photo, mobile number, and email. Android Authority
- You can instead tap “Receive only” to get the other person’s information without sending your own — something Android Headlines and Android Authority both highlight. Android Authority
- On the receiving side, another sheet appears showing the incoming contact card, with a prompt to save it as a new contact. 9to5Google
The interface is still very barebones — plain text, simple toggles, placeholder avatars — which strongly suggests we’re looking at a work‑in‑progress rather than anything close to final. 9to5Google
How it compares to Apple’s NameDrop
Apple launched NameDrop in iOS 17 as an extension of AirDrop. When two compatible iPhones (or an iPhone and an Apple Watch) are brought within a few centimeters of each other, a special contact‑sharing interface appears on both screens. Users can then choose to share their contact card, receive the other person’s, or “Receive only.” Apple Support
The Android leaks echo that experience almost beat‑for‑beat:
- Both systems rely on proximity‑based triggers rather than digging through menus. Apple Support
- Each lets users select which pieces of information they’re comfortable sharing. Apple Support Community
- Both offer a “receive only” mode for people who want a one‑way exchange. Apple Support
What’s different so far?
- Branding: Apple’s feature is firmly called NameDrop and tied to AirDrop. Google’s internal strings switch between Gesture Exchange and Contact Exchange, and the final marketing name could be something else entirely. Android Authority
- Underlying framework: NameDrop is integrated into iOS’s AirDrop stack, while Contact Exchange appears to be implemented at the Google Play Services level, which is distinct from the core Android OS version. 9to5Google
- Visual design: Apple leans hard on contact posters with full‑screen artwork; the Android UI, at least today, is closer to a minimalist sheet with checkboxes — though that may evolve before release. Wikipedia
NFC, “Gesture Exchange,” and how the phones actually talk
Every leak points to NFC being the trigger and transport (at least initially):
- Play Services strings literally label part of the feature “gestureexchange_ndef_service_description,” with “ndef” almost certainly standing for NFC Data Exchange Format. Android Authority
- Android Authority and Sammy Fans both emphasise that the new activity is tied to NDEF and is therefore very likely using NFC for the exchange, while also noting that Bluetooth could still be involved behind the scenes. Android Authority
The “gesture” portion of Gesture Exchange is still a mystery. It could be:
- Simply bringing two phones close together (mirroring NameDrop).
- A tap or bump motion detected by accelerometers.
- Something like “tap phones together + confirm on screen” to avoid accidental triggers.
Nobody outside Google knows yet — and even the APK code doesn’t give away the exact motion. 9to5Google explicitly notes that there are “a lot of questions” about how the feature is triggered and whether NFC is the only option. 9to5Google
Where and when will Android’s NameDrop rival launch?
This is the big question, and today’s reporting gives us some educated guesses but no firm answers.
Why everyone thinks it’ll ship in a Feature Drop
Android Headlines argues that because the feature is clearly tied to Google Play Services, it’s far more likely to arrive via an Android Feature Drop (and Pixel Feature Drop) than as a headline Android 17 OS feature. Android Headlines
That would be huge for rollout:
- Play Services updates bypass many of the bottlenecks of full OS upgrades.
- In theory, any Android phone with NFC and up‑to‑date Google Play Services — Pixels, Samsung Galaxy devices, and many others — could get contact exchange on the same rough timeline. Android Headlines
SamMobile, which frames the feature as “Apple NameDrop‑like contact sharing [that] could come to Galaxy phones”, also points out that there’s nothing inherently Samsung‑specific here; if Google flips the switch, this should be a platform‑wide feature, not a Pixel exclusive. SamMobile
But don’t expect it immediately
Despite some headlines saying it’s “coming soon,” the evidence is more cautious:
- The UI is unfinished and visually rough. Android Authority
- 9to5Google and Sammy Fans both stress that the feature is at a very early stage, with no indication of a release window and plenty of open questions. 9to5Google
- Android Authority includes its usual APK‑teardown disclaimer: features found this way are prototypes and may change or never ship. Android Authority
Realistically, that means months rather than weeks before this shows up on regular devices — and that’s assuming Google keeps it on the roadmap.
Why Google cares: closing another ecosystem gap
Android Central frames the new feature as part of a broader trend: Google steadily filling in ecosystem gaps where Apple has had the advantage, from features like Contact Posters (now mirrored by Android’s Calling Cards) to seamless device linking. Android Central
NameDrop has been one of those quirky, slightly “magical” iOS tricks: bring two iPhones together and both users see rich, poster‑style contact cards they can share or receive in a couple of taps. Apple Support
On Android:
- Old‑school Android Beam once let users tap NFC‑equipped phones together to share links or files, but it was deprecated years ago.
- Nearby Share (now part of Google’s Quick Share rebrand) handles files well but doesn’t give a slick, dedicated UI for exchanging contact cards.
Contact Exchange is Google’s chance to modernize NFC‑style sharing and make a common social interaction — “What’s your number?” — feel like a polished, first‑class OS feature again.
Privacy and safety: lessons from NameDrop’s rocky debut
When Apple rolled out NameDrop, it sparked a wave of viral posts claiming it would automatically leak children’s phone numbers to strangers — claims that were exaggerated but reflected real anxiety about proximity‑based sharing. 9to5Google
Google seems to be baking some safeguards in from day one, at least based on the UI we can see:
- Users explicitly choose which fields to share each time (photo, phone, email). Android Authority
- The “Receive only” option is front‑and‑center, letting you grab someone’s details while keeping yours private. Android Authority
- The exchange is contact‑card focused, not a general file‑sharing pipe, which may keep the experience more predictable. Sammy Fans
That said, we still don’t know:
- What settings will control this feature (e.g., can you disable “bringing devices together” entirely, as iOS allows for NameDrop)? Apple Support
- Whether it will be limited to new contacts only or also support updates to existing entries.
- How Android will surface prompts or require unlock/authentication before sharing.
Until Google talks publicly about Contact Exchange, assume the current implementation is not final, especially in sensitive areas like consent and privacy.
What changed today, November 16, 2025?
So what’s new as of today, beyond the original leak?
- SamMobile has now weighed in, explicitly connecting the feature to Samsung Galaxy phones and underlining that — because it’s part of Play Services — it should land on many Android devices, not just Pixels. SamMobile
- Hindustan Times’ tech desk picked up the story for a broader audience, framing it as Google building an Android counterpart to both Contact Posters and NameDrop. Hindustan Times
- StartupNews.fyi and other aggregators have syndicated Android Authority’s visuals and bullet points, helping the leak spread into general‑tech feeds and Google Discover. Startupnews
In other words, the technical details still come from the same underlying teardown work — but today is when the story tipped from niche leak to mainstream Android news.
What to watch next
Until Google officially announces the feature, here’s what’s worth keeping an eye on:
- New Play Services betas
- If later builds add richer UI, animations, or clearer branding (e.g., settling on “Contact Exchange”), that’ll signal the feature is moving toward launch. Android Authority
- Settings flags in Android betas or Pixel Feature Drops
- A toggle under “Google > Devices & sharing” or “Connections” in future betas would be a strong hint that Google is preparing a public test. (Inference based on how other Play‑Services‑powered features roll out.) 9to5Google
- OEM reactions and enhancements
- Samsung, which already clones Apple features with twists of its own (like Profile Card as an answer to Contact Posters), may layer One UI styling or extra options on top of Google’s base implementation. SamMobile
- Cross‑platform possibilities
- For now, all evidence points to Android‑to‑Android sharing only. There’s no sign of interoperability with iOS NameDrop, and that would require rare cooperation from Apple.
Bottom line
As of November 16, 2025, Contact Exchange / Gesture Exchange is shaping up to be Android’s clearest answer yet to Apple’s NameDrop: a proximity‑based, NFC‑flavoured way to trade contact cards that could eventually reach hundreds of millions of devices via Google Play Services updates.
It’s early, unpolished, and completely unannounced — but if it ships anything like what we’re seeing in these teardowns, swapping numbers on Android might finally become as quick and “magical” as it looks in Apple’s ads.
