January 16, 2026, 3:06 AM EST. Google appears to be preparing AirDrop-like compatibility for the Pixel 9 through Android 16's QPR3 Beta 2 canary build. The change follows the Pixel 10's earlier reverse-engineered AirDrop workaround, enabling direct wireless file transfers between Pixel devices and iPhones and Macs via Google's Quick Share. The current evidence is software-only and unofficial; Apple neither authorized nor supported it. In Pixel 9, system files related to AirDrop show up on the canary build, with Pixel 9a omitted. The feature has not yet been enabled by testers, and there's no sign it's on older devices like the Pixel 8. If rolled out, it would rely on Everyone for 10 Minutes mode, which Apple requires for transfers.
